Clearwire and Sprint: Best Buddies over WiMax
Sprint Nextel and Clearwire announced an agreement today to create a national WiMax network that would reach a combined total of 300 million people in the future.
Under the 20-year partnership, both companies would be responsible for providing bandwidth to users under one brand name (Sprint?). Clearwire would also get “sales privileges in Sprint stores.”
Clearwire is a relatively new player in the industry, a startup that currently provides wireless internet and VoIP services for semi-cheap prices. The speeds aren’t the greatest (you have a choice between 1.5Mbps and 768Kbps plans), but it’s portable as long as you’re in the coverage area.
WiMax is what you’d call The Next Big Thing, or wireless connectivity that spans miles instead of a tiny area the size of a Starbucks. Sprint’s pushing the technology heavily, and making agreements with phone manufacturers such as Samsung and Nokia – with the end result being less crowded wireless networks. That could translate into lower prices for phone service or internet while at the same time enjoying wireless coverage almost anywhere in the USA.
Shares of Clearwire soared 34% on the news of the agreement, while Sprint lost 0.7%. Bear Stearns’ upgrade of Clearwire probably helped. Crazy!
this is a great idea, will get the WiMax coverage up faster!