Sprint Chooses WiMAX For 4G Network
from the finally dept
One big motivation behind the Sprint-Nextel merger was the huge amount of 2.5 GHz spectrum the combined company would own. Before the merger, both companies had been testing various wireless broadband technologies from multiple vendors with the intention of building a fourth-generation network in the spectrum, and despite an investment in IPWireless and comments about other technologies, the WSJ is reporting that later today, Sprint will announce it's chosen to use WiMAX for the network. This would be a huge boost for the technology, which thus far has been long on hype but short on large-scale rollouts. It would also be a big win for Intel, which has pumped a lot of money into WiMAX, with the hope of creating a market its chips can dominate. One strong contender for the new Sprint network was Flash-OFDM technology from Flarion, which was then bought by Qualcomm. But it's widely believed that Qualcomm' control of the technology worked against it, as part of the growing backlash against Qualcomm's IP licensing practices. Choosing WiMAX may not get operators like Sprint totally out of the woods, though, as Qualcomm has acted like it has IP that's relevant to WiMAX. Also keep in mind that this new WiMAX network would be in addition to Sprint's existing CDMA mobile network, which it continues to upgrade. One significant challenge for the company will be convincing consumers and investors of the value of this new network, and that it's not redundant. Update: Sprint has confirmed that it's going with mobile WiMAX, and plans to launch the network by the end of 2007, with significant coverage by 2008. It's announced an alliance with Intel, Samsung and Motorola, and is promising initial downlink speeds of between 2 to 4 Mbps. Sprint execs also briefly ran through their reasons for not selecting the other technologies they evaluated: Qualcomm/Flarion's Flash-OFDM wasn't conducive to their spectrum, while IPWireless' technology couldn't provide a suitable ecosystem, and 3G LTE and HSxPA technologies couldn't be brought to market quickly enough. Sprint's decision should give mobile WiMAX significant momentum and influence other carriers' views of the technology. One final point: interesting timing on the announcement, with Sprint throwing down a gauntlet of sorts the day before the big AWS spectrum auction starts.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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DO Camper vs WiMAX
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Re:DO Camper vs WiMAX
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interesting...wimax does not work
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NO one cares
First post woot
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sprint
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Cellular Sucks
Cellular service plain sucks, the whole system is decades away from proper coverage from any provider. I has been frotunate that most of the time my company phone and personal phone ore on different providers, because then at least one of them will work most anwhere I go, but even in as flat of a city as Houston, there are a number of buildings, no cellular service works unless you are in just the right spot.
Also, Houston has very good Sprint and Cingular service coverage, T-Mobile and Verizon, not so good. Another city, another result. The cariers have different growth plans and goals and treat each region differently, your mileage will vary.
For me, I like Sprint. As for the Article in WSJ, it leads to what the decision may influence for other carriers.
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IP = Internet Protocol
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Re: IP = Internet Protocol
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Re: Re: IP = Internet Protocol
In the future, could you please heed your own advice? Kettle, meet pot.
(also, I would like to point out that I am further doing absolutely nothing of value for the actual article, but this is not ignorance (as your post was) its a display of paradigm.)
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Re: Re: Re: IP = Internet Protocol
Anyway, I agree, they should get off their ass and type the extra 19 characters. Too many damn acronyms in this world!
And Jake, you're a freaking nob. That first post crap is so damn stupid, but at least you add the "woot"... and that pretty much makes up for the stupidity right there...
WOOT!
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Re: Re: IP = Internet Protocol
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RE:IP = Internet Protocol
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Sprint ain't that bad
amar
verizon user
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my 2 cents
I foresee this being a good example of "Good things come to those that wait" Meaning Sprint will benefit greatly from WiMax.
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Had Them All
Not the greatest phone selection, especially if you use their Ready Link, but I suppose the WiMax will only improve matters in the long run.
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Wimax
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Finally the last mile
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A Very Good Move
I'm just surprised that some carrier hasn't already tried to rollout a cheaper/faster wireless data network nationally thus far.
The day we stop 'changing' is the day we start 'dying'...
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w00t
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ready link sucks
I am under my 30 days and I guess I need to return my phones and get service with someone else... really sucks since it is a big waste of time, energy, and probably at least some small amount of money.
Anyone else having trouble with the push-to-talk from Sprint?
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"Cell phones" and WiMAX
You try to implement a mobile phone system (cellphone) and all you get is a wretched disaster created by the love of competition!
Europe and other countries have had a VERY high quality mobile phone system for years - it's called GSM. All you damned Americans could think of was your lousy AMPS systems (with no roaming within the country). "Gosh Jed, does that mean I have to have a different cell phone for every city I vist? Yup, sure does Clem !"
That is why your have a third rate "cellphone" system - because your networks are 3rd rate !!
As for WiMAX - the list of inadequacies are almost endless. Well, at least you'll be used to the crappy services .....
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WiMax is a brick
-Mal ::very experienced with WiMax::
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Re: WiMax is a brick
The technology is new, and currently Intel has all the power. Maybe if they begin licensing the manufacturing rights to 3rd parties, they will make improvements or develop add-on technology, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for it to happen. As it already enjoys a large implementation throughout the world, and as the industry has recently developed standards for all WiMax products to conform to, it's unlikely that there will be much motivation on the part of developers to make big changes to what they've already been selling to their customer base.
-Mal.
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