Clearwire seeding N.Y., L.A. markets ahead of WiMAX launch

Don’t call it a launch.
Clearwire Corp. (CLWR) said it has begun “operational readiness activities” in New York, Los Angeles and other markets ahead of its official launch of WiMAX services in those markets.
For the New York and Los Angeles markets the carrier said it has started selling its Clear-branded 4G+ service that provides customers with access to the carrier’s WiMAX network as well as roaming capabilities on Sprint Nextel Corp.’s (S) CDMA2000 1x EV-DO-based 3G network. Customers can sign up for the service for $55 per month with a “pre-launch” special of $35 per month for the first two months with a two-year contract.
The carrier added that it has not yet begun to offer WiMAX-only services and devices in these markets and that it has not officially announced a launch date for New York and Los Angeles.
In addition, Clearwire said customers may begin to find WiMAX coverage in portions of San Francisco; Tampa, Miami, and Orlando, Fla.; Nashville; Denver; Minneapolis; Cincinnati; Cleveland; and Pittsburgh ahead of official market launches in those cities. However, the carrier has not yet begun to market the offering in those areas.
All of these pre-launches are leading up to Clearwire’s stated goal of covering 120 million potential customers with its WiMAX network by the end of the year.
The carrier recently noted that it plans to begin trialing LTE technology in the Phoenix area later this year using 40 megahertz of spectrum that it claims will provide real-world network speeds of up to 70 megabits per second. Clearwire’s current WiMAX network currently provides network speeds up to 6 Mbps.
Verizon Wireless has said it would launch LTE services by the end of the year covering 100 million pops in up to 30 markets, while MetroPCS Communications Inc. is expected to begin offering LTE services in select markets in the coming months.