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Clearwire: We're Sticking With Unlimited
Thanks to their 'unrivaled spectrum position'

Earlier this year Clearwire began trying to differentiate itself by highlighting how the average Clearwire user consumes 7GB a month or so -- and urging customers to use as much Clearwire bandwidth as they like without penalty. With AT&T's recent announcement of low caps and high wireless overages for iPhone users, Clearwire's again trying to use unlimited bandwidth as a way to differentiate itself from the competition. In a blog post, the company explains why they're sticking with flat-rate unlimited:

quote:
While large wireless carriers are moving away from unlimited data plans or signaling a desire to do so, Clearwire continues to offer unlimited data plans on a faster, open 4G network. You might ask why Clearwire can do this, while larger incumbents can’t. The answer is simple. We have an all-IP network and unrivaled spectrum position, providing unmatched capacity to deliver mobile data. To put it in terms of old landline technology, our “pipe” is much bigger – several times that of incumbent carriers.
Of course capacity is only part of the issue. Clearwire's also in a desperate competitive position, and needs every competitive advantage they can get while doing battle against much larger, wealthier and more political powerful companies like AT&T and Verizon. Whereas AT&T apparently has the luxury of not giving a damn what customers think about their new pricing.

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betam4x
join:2002-10-12
Nashville, TN

betam4x

Member

Competitive Position...

If Clear were actually more widely available they wouldn't have issues being competitive.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Competitive Position...

said by betam4x:

If Clear were actually more widely available they wouldn't have issues being competitive.
»kansascity.bizjournals.c ··· y50.html
Clearwire, based in Kirkland, Wash., is rolling out the service throughout the country, now reaching a population of 44 million people. It expects to reach 120 million people by the end of the year.
That will be in areas covering 1/3 of US population by year end. And if you buy from Sprint and get 3G coverage thrown in, the coverage area is up to about 95% of where US population resides. In other words, all major cities; many minor cities & suburbs for 4G. And all but the most rural areas for 3G.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned)

Member

Re: Competitive Position...

said by FFH5:

said by betam4x:

If Clear were actually more widely available they wouldn't have issues being competitive.
»kansascity.bizjournals.c ··· y50.html
Clearwire, based in Kirkland, Wash., is rolling out the service throughout the country, now reaching a population of 44 million people. It expects to reach 120 million people by the end of the year.
That will be in areas covering 1/3 of US population by year end. And if you buy from Sprint and get 3G coverage thrown in, the coverage area is up to about 95% of where US population resides. In other words, all major cities; many minor cities & suburbs for 4G. And all but the most rural areas for 3G.
Well then I must live out in the sticks then. Oh wait I'm not THAT far in the sticks.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: Competitive Position...

said by 88615298:

said by FFH5:

said by betam4x:

If Clear were actually more widely available they wouldn't have issues being competitive.
»kansascity.bizjournals.c ··· y50.html
Clearwire, based in Kirkland, Wash., is rolling out the service throughout the country, now reaching a population of 44 million people. It expects to reach 120 million people by the end of the year.
That will be in areas covering 1/3 of US population by year end. And if you buy from Sprint and get 3G coverage thrown in, the coverage area is up to about 95% of where US population resides. In other words, all major cities; many minor cities & suburbs for 4G. And all but the most rural areas for 3G.
Well then I must live out in the sticks then. Oh wait I'm not THAT far in the sticks.
The definition of "coverage" is standing ontop of your car outdoors with zero bars but still "have service".

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
Does the 3G coverage also include unlimited (i.e. no caps)?
Here in SoCal, its all 3G only (+17million).

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Competitive Position...

said by en102:

Does the 3G coverage also include unlimited (i.e. no caps)?
Here in SoCal, its all 3G only (+17million).
With the EVO smartphone, yes. With a USB card for a laptop, I don't know.
Ulmo
join:2005-09-22
Aptos, CA

Ulmo to betam4x

Member

to betam4x
I think that's true. The closest places Clearwire is to me is about 2 to 4 hours drive away (Stockton, Modesto, and Merced). So, they are in Northern California, after all, but not anywhere close.

OldschoolDSL
Premium Member
join:2006-02-23
Indian Orchard, MA

OldschoolDSL

Premium Member

If they where here

... I'd give them a try.

TMMerlin
The Devil made me do it
join:2003-06-19
Oxford, MI

TMMerlin

Member

I have unlimited unlimited

.... voice minutes on nites and weekends as well as 750 minutes in primetime.

All I do is use my cellphone for what they are intended for ... to make phone calls ...LMAO LMAO
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

Ya know what? You're probably paying more for that than you could be paying for unlimited voice + messaging + data, as long as you don't do said unlimited voice + messaging + data on a smartphone.

Thank you Straight Talk. Or Boost Mobile....you'll actually be able to get an Android phone on them, though data will be ridiculously slow.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

Boost uses the Sprint CMDA network now. they're slowly pushing everyone to it. So speeds are much better than on the iDEN network.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

I was talking specifically about the i1. Boost is also still releasing iDEN phones; its last two introductions (i1 and i296) are both iDEN. If you want a rugged, prepaid phone with PTT then they're your go-to carrier.

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

swintec to hottboiinnc4

Premium Member

to hottboiinnc4
said by hottboiinnc4:

Boost uses the Sprint CMDA network now. they're slowly pushing everyone to it. So speeds are much better than on the iDEN network.
Are they bringing the whole Boost service under CDMA, or just the new blackberry service they are advertising? I thought Boost on iDen was Sprints last ditch effort to save it....although maybe it sees more use from Nextel users than I thought.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

Boost now operates both CDMA and iDEN services. They have a hanful of decent phones on CDMA (Samsung Rant, Samsung Incognito, Sanyo Juno, Sanyo 3810) but more handsets on iDEN.

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

swintec

Premium Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

Would they allow an outright purchased Android phone on the CDMA service? Does CDMA get 3G on Boost?
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

CDMA does get 3G on Boost, however from what I've heard Android devices can't be activated on Boost.

HotRodFoto
Premium Member
join:2003-04-19
Denver, CO

2 edits

HotRodFoto

Premium Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

said by iansltx:

CDMA does get 3G on Boost, however from what I've heard Android devices can't be activated on Boost.
They sell the Motorola il which is a droid
cancel that, it's IDEN
wispalord
join:2007-09-20
Farmington, MO

wispalord to hottboiinnc4

Member

to hottboiinnc4
no it does not all boost is iDen they bought virging for pre paid cdma
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: I have unlimited unlimited

Boost did not buy anyone.

Sprint-Nextel owns both companies and offered Boost CDMA well before they even bought or thought about buying Virgin Mobile USA.

Sprint can offer prepaid on any of its networks without a problem. Sprint used to operate its own prepaid brand long before Boost and Virgin were even in the States.
wispalord
join:2007-09-20
Farmington, MO

wispalord

Member

they meaning Sprint

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to TMMerlin

Premium Member

to TMMerlin
said by TMMerlin:

.... voice minutes on nites and weekends as well as 750 minutes in primetime.

All I do is use my cellphone for what they are intended for ... to make phone calls ...LMAO LMAO
So you decided to come and taunt people who want data access?
bt
join:2009-02-26
canada

bt to TMMerlin

Member

to TMMerlin
said by TMMerlin:

.... voice minutes on nites and weekends as well as 750 minutes in primetime.
Well, if we're playing that game, I've got unlimited voice 24/7. No evening and weekends BS.
said by TMMerlin:

All I do is use my cellphone for what they are intended for ... to make phone calls ...LMAO LMAO
Yeah, all of those large screen cells with full keyboards are definitely intended for just voice. That's why they've only got number keys.... OH WAIT.
francoisatl1
join:2010-03-09
Atlanta, GA

francoisatl1

Member

I LOVE Clear ATLANTA GA

i have had clear for a couple of months and i have not had 1 problem at all and i have also traveled with my clear and it has always worked so ROCK ON CLEAR
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon

Member

Re: I LOVE Clear ATLANTA GA

I'm satisfied with EVO 4G performance as a hotspot in KC, around 7Mbps indoors at home. Though I have a site a few blocks away and my condo is above the tree line, so get LOS. Not bad for a phone.

Am thinking of setting up Buffalo router as repeater and getting rid of TWC 7Mbps cable modem.

ztmike
Mark for moderation
Premium Member
join:2001-08-02
La Porte, IN

ztmike

Premium Member

boring

*Yawns*

That's all nice and dandy but the fact remains Clear still has a small access locations..its no wonder their network can handle it, it doesn't have alot of subscribers. lol
vortex91
join:2000-08-18
Glendale, CA

vortex91

Member

Re: boring

sprint 4g is on clear so are TW Comcast and other cable providers.
weaver
join:2001-12-13
New Alexandria, PA

weaver

Member

Re: boring

And someday they'll actually cover my area.
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

1 edit

xenophon to ztmike

Member

to ztmike
I think they had nearly 1m subscribers before EVO launch. With EVO selling out with high demand, it could add another 500K in a month or so. If they can make the EVO fast enough to meet demand. They could potentially add 500K a month if the demand keeps up for Evo.

cp
Premium Member
join:2004-05-14
Wheaton, IL

cp

Premium Member

The difference is...

Clear has modeled themselves as a wireless ISP. The other cellphone carriers are, more or less, getting pushed into being an ISP due to the smartphone explosion. AT&T is one of the most notorious carriers for poor signal and dropped calls in my area. They don't give a damn about upgrading equipment here. They are the only carrier for the iPhone. People aren't giving a damn about the carrier quality as long as they can get their hands on the iPhone.

Clear targeting people to replace their current ISP with their service so they have to make sure their network is strong. I think that's the real difference between the carriers.
chsteiger
Premium Member
join:2003-10-03
Pasadena, TX

chsteiger

Premium Member

Clear is a JOKE in Houston

The coverage Clear has in Houston reminds me of cell phone service in the late 80's. You can have a strong signal and move down the street one block and have nothing. It is so hit and miss. My house is listed in strong signal area... stood outside with a Sprint 4G MyFi and got nothing... It needs LOTS of work!
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: Clear is a JOKE in Houston

Just think of it as municipal wifi, since thats what WiMAX claims it is the successor to.
neftv
join:2000-10-01
Broomall, PA

1 edit

neftv

Member

Can't quite get Clear yet.

Here in suburban Philadelphia and Philadelphia for that matter Clear has spotty coverage and I am in one of the spots.
There is a cell phone tower near my neighborhood and Clear is not on it. Yet I can go like a 1/4 mile either way and they have coverage. Oh well.
pika2000
join:2005-10-13
Seattle, WA

pika2000

Member

Yeah, sure

Translation:
"We're waiting for everybody else to do it first before us so we don't look like the bad guy. Besides, do you know everybody else is going LTE?"
NoOneButMe
join:2001-08-24
TX

NoOneButMe

Member

ClearWire In Texas

where i live the tower is over sold are something i get 1mb down and 1mb up i have the 55$ deal and they gave me 2 free months why they fix the tower they sead it needs to be updated i think they should update there towers 1st then add more people lol
ricep5
Premium Member
join:2000-08-07
Jacksonville, FL

ricep5

Premium Member

Yeah, but when can you get that 7Gb?

Clearwire is oversubscribed and congested between 4PM and 11PM local. So if people are getting their 7Gb, they aren't doing it very quickly after school/work.
ebubman
join:2002-01-17
Mechanicsburg, PA

ebubman

Member

???

clear just came to south central pa. prices are competitive. have comcast now & am considering clear. will have to stop @ a store & try it to see how well it works.

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

If more companies keep putting in caps that crunch

users, those that offer true unlimited will have a very sizeable market