NetStumbler

Clearwire, Sprint Call Their Deal Off

Kristin Abraham — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 04:42:59 +0000

The recent departure of Sprint CEO, Gary Forsee, is having some far reaching impact. The WiMAX build out between Sprint Nextel and Clearwire is the latest victim as the proposed joint, nationwide WiMAX effort has been dropped.

Sprint’s corporate shake up was not the only reason the proposed venture was nixed,the complexities of the transaction were also cited as a stumbling block. So that leaves the American WiMAX project in a bit of a conundrum, do Sprint and Clearwire go out and forge independent networks or will new bonds form?

In the meantime, WiMAX is progressing nicely overseas, proving that they technology is valid and workable.
Via [gigaom.com]

Sprint’s New WiMax To Be Called ‘Xohm’

Kristin Abraham — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:57:42 +0000

Sprint’s new WiMAX has a name…Xohm. The company feels the X at the beginning of Xohm gives it an edgy feel but notes the pronounciation is like “home” but with a “z” sound at the beginning.

However, the announcement of the name isn’t the only leap the company is taking. They also plan on rolling out a new business model that is internet-based, not telecom-based. A year ago Sprint stated this venture could cost them $3 million, but new partnerships with companies like Google and Clearwire Corp. may have changed that investment a bit.

Xohm is expected to provide speeds at about 3 to 4 times what 3G is currently offering its customers and the WiMAX network will be operating over a licensed spectrum.
Via [computerworld.com]

Sprint To Offer WiMAX-enabled Linux Tablet

Kristin Abraham — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:32:06 +0000

LinuxDevices has discovered that Sprint will be offering an internet tablet similar to Nokia’s N800 next year. This addition to the Mobile WiMAX market will take advantage of Sprint’s 4G wireless services, which may reach more than 100 million people by 2008.

In 2006 Sprint announced their plans to begin the 4G nationwide broadband mobile network and has now made public their plans to use Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005) to launch this technology.

On the other side, Nokia’s N800 will probably include WiFi and Bluetooth and is moving forward, determined to capture the marketplace.
Via [linuxdevices.com]

Sprint Nextel Considers How To Fund WiMax Rollout

Eliza Villarino — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:07:41 +0000

The Wall Street Journal reported that Sprint Nextel is seeking new ways to fund its WiMax deployment project. The company, in August last year, announced plans to build a $3 billion WiMax network but with high wireless-customer churn rates and a declining stock price, securing capital investment is proving to be a challenge for Sprint. Its options include a spin-off of the firm’s WiMax business and a roaming deal with WiMax service provider Clearwire. Sprint is also studying a possible arrangement with its cable service provider partners on how they will pay for the use of the network.
Via [computerworld.com]

Nokia Signs On To Help With Sprint Nextel’s WiMax Deployment

Eliza Villarino — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 05:38:00 +0000

Sprint named Nokia as its main partner in building its WiMax network in four Texas cities — Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio — which is expected to be operational by the first half of next year. Sprint earlier announced that it is teaming up with Motorola and Samsung to provide WiMax connection in Chicago and Washington DC, respectively, in 2008. By the end of that year, the company expects coverage to reach 100 million people in the U.S. Nokia will use its signature products like the Flexi WiMax Base Station, Access Service Network Gateway and NetAct network management platform to deploy Sprint’s network.
Via [informationweek.com]

Sprint Facing WiMax Delays?

Eliza Villarino — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 10:39:00 +0000

Analysts are skeptical that Sprint Nextel will meet its target of launching its WiMax network in the U.S. in 2008. According to Dresdner Kleinwort, “the whole project will be marred by severe delays, quality deficiencies and functional slippages.” The analyst firm does not see mass market rollout until 2009 to 2010. Vendors at the 3GSM show in Barcelona had the same opinion.

Sprint affirmed that the development of the network is progressing smoothly. A company spokesman said the soft launches will take place by the end of the year and the commercial launch is due in 2008, with coverage expected to reach 100 million people. He downplayed the message of the earnings call, which suggested that Sprint hopes to expand its list of partner-investors that currently include Intel, Motorola and Samsung. He said the earnings call is just a reiteration of the company’s previous announcements. The representative pointed out that the 4G capital expenditure in 2007 has been reduced from $1 billion to $800 million following vendor contract finalization.
Via [unstrung.com]

Why Sprint Says WiMax Is 4G

Eliza Villarino — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 12:15:00 +0000

Sprint CTO Barry West regards WiMax the 4G technology because not only is it faster, it is also cheaper. According to West, WiMax causes a 10-fold improvement in the price-per-bit as it uses a wider channel. The current CDMA networks run on a 1.25-MHz channel and can deliver a maximum of 4 bits per hertz, or around 5Mbit/s at the base station. WiMax, on the other hand, makes use of a 10-MHz channel, thus it can generate a total of 40Mbit/s.
Via [techworld.com]

Sprint Chooses WiMax For High-speed Wireless

Eliza Villarino — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 10:33:00 +0000

After evaluating other technologies, Sprint Nextel has chosen WiMax as its vehicle technology for the new high-speed wireless network that it plans to roll out in late 2007. According to Sprint chief executive Gary Forsee, Intel will provide the equipment for the network while Samsung and Motorola will develop phones and mobile devices that will run on WiMax. The company plans to devote $1 billion for the project in 2007 and up to $2 billion for the following year. The new network is expected to produce download speeds of between 2 mbps and 4 mbps, a range similar to an average broadband service.
Via [usatoday.com]

Sprint Offshoot Tries Muni Wi-Fi

RenderMan — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 02:26:00 +0000

So the telco’s jump up and down and lobby states to pass laws prohibiting municipalities from offering Municipal Wifi themselves, but are more than happy to step up and do it themselves. Sprint’s offshoot, Embarq is testing a few sites in Henderson, Nevada after the city expressed interest in municipal wireless in October.
Via [wi-fiplanet.com]

Sprint Increases Investment In WiMax Competitor

Wayne Slavin — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 10:50:00 +0000

Sprint Nextel said Wednesday that it has made a second investment in IPWireless, the developer of a wireless broadband technology that competes with WiMAX.
Via [informationweek.com]

Sprint, Samsung Team For WiMAX Trials

Wayne Slavin — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 14:45:00 +0000

In what will be the first major test of WiMAX in the United States, Sprint Nextel and Samsung Telecommunications America have announced they will begin lab and field trials of the broadband network technology starting early next year.
Via [wirelessweek.com]

Sprint Gets Lined Up Behind WiMAX

Wayne Slavin — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 14:48:00 +0000

Sprint is the latest telecommunications player to lay the groundwork for testing WiMAX, the yet-unproven wireless standard for high speed metropolitan networks.
Via [internetnews.com]

Intel, Sprint Connect On WiMax

Wayne Slavin — Fri, 13 May 2005 15:26:00 +0000

Intel and Sprint plan to work together to develop an emerging wireless broadband technology called WiMax, which has been promoted as a third option to cable and digital subscriber line for providing high-speed Internet access into the home.
Via [news.com.com]

Sprint Extend Its Wi-Fi Presence Globally

Wayne Slavin — Mon, 02 May 2005 16:16:00 +0000

US-based telecomms group Sprint is extending its Wi-Fi presence internationally with the help of virtual network enabler Quiconnect.
Via [forbes.com]

Sprint CEO Predicts Wireless-Net Link

Wayne Slavin — Mon, 11 Apr 2005 17:31:00 +0000

Sprint Corp. chief executive Gary D. Forsee predicted that next year will see the first ”combo phones” come to market in the United States, linking conventional wireless service and low-priced Internet calling.
Via [boston.com]