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Clearwire Launching In Chicago October 6
Sprint begins sending out invites for full day media event

Chicago-area residents have been teased by Sprint and Clearwire since the companies gave a sneak peak of their Mobile WiMax technology back in 2007, giving boat-riding journalists an early look via temporary downtown tower array. Sprint subsequently promised a Chicago launch in 2008, but despite an unofficially lit network, it never became fully commercially available -- until now. Sprint is circulating an e-mail announcing that they're launching Mobile WiMax in the city on October 6 as part of a full day launch event:

quote:
Click for full size
Sprint proudly introduces the first device with full 4G capabilities in Chicago and 3G speeds virtually everywhere else. Download mammoth attachments right now. Video conference without waiting for the lips to catch up with the words. Just plug the device into your laptop and feel the Now.

You and your guest are exclusively invited to the Chicago 4G Launch event. At this event, you can be among the first to experience 4G from the only wireless 4G network. Enjoy the product first hand while sipping cocktails and feasting on hors d'oeuvres in this fast paced atmosphere.
Mmm, you can already "feel the now" with Sprint executives, hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and Mobile WiMax. Comcast, which has been busy reselling Clearwire service, had already hinted at launches in both Chicago and Philadelphia. Clearwire promises to launch the service in 80 markets within 18 months, though as we explored yesterday, there's some early connectivity headaches they'll need to address moving forward. A major market like Chicago is going to be a big test for the new operator.
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kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL

kapil

Member

I'm there

I will be attending the event.

My old Xohm modem still hasn't lit up yet...so either there's no coverage where I live or the network hasn't be lit-up yet. ....or they're actively blocking the old Xohm devices from registering on the network.
kaila
join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL

kaila

Member

Re: I'm there

Where are they holding it kapil? If I have enough Berghoff's Oktoberfest at Federal Plaza, I may try to crash it......

kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL

kapil

Member

Re: I'm there

said by kaila:

Where are they holding it kapil? If I have enough Berghoff's Oktoberfest at Federal Plaza, I may try to crash it......
At the Hyatt downtown.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to kapil

Member

to kapil
said by kapil:

I will be attending the event.

My old Xohm modem still hasn't lit up yet...so either there's no coverage where I live or the network hasn't be lit-up yet. ....or they're actively blocking the old Xohm devices from registering on the network.
Thats what you get with WiMAX, different incompatible standards, and different bands.

kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL

kapil

Member

Re: I'm there

No True. While WiMax is the "marketing" name, there are underlying IETF standards: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IE ··· E_802.16 ...much more than can be said for LTE at the moment.

My troubles, as I said, are probably because Clearwire is preventing devices from registering before service is officially launched.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: I'm there

said by kapil:

No True. While WiMax is the "marketing" name, there are underlying IETF standards: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IE ··· E_802.16 ...much more than can be said for LTE at the moment.
Try reading that page, how many different incompatible standards are on it? What about manufacturer proprietary stuff like WiBro (became standardized as "Mobile WiMAX" supposedly) and formerly "WiMAX" Expedience »www.motorola.com/Busines ··· olutions ?

kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL

kapil

Member

Re: I'm there

There was a lot of pre-certification gear on the market....but WiMax, indeed, is now a IETF ratified standard.
ditka_b
Premium Member
join:2001-10-05
Barrington, IL

ditka_b to kapil

Premium Member

to kapil
They block all customer connections till the "live" date.
Testers and employees are probably rocking on it right now.

VegasMan
Living the Vegas life.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Las Vegas, NV
·CenturyLink

VegasMan

Premium Member

Re: I'm there

said by ditka_b:

They block all customer connections till the "live" date.
Testers and employees are probably rocking on it right now.
It is live now. It's just locked out to subscribes until Oct 6th.
I'm able to see signal in Elgin at I-90 and Randall at work.
We fix the modems.

PhoenixDown
FIOS is Awesome
Premium Member
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY

PhoenixDown

Premium Member

Karl -- do you guys ever go to these types of events?

I was wondering... thanks!

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

4 edits

1 recommendation

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: Karl -- do you guys ever go to these types of events?

Occasionally I have (visits to NYC to see new FiOS gear, visits to Time Warner Cable's cable offices have been useful), but for events like this it's quite often not worth it. We have a limited budget, I have nobody to back me up while in transit, and the money spent flying me to and putting me up in these places often wouldn't justify the information gleaned anyway -- particularly for events that are really just animated press releases.

Trade shows I probably SHOULD attend to build up my contact list, but again, travel, lodging and attendance fees for these things is hugely expensive, we're obviously on a limited budget, there's no front page backup while I'm away, and I have a nasty aversion to name tags and smiling marketers interested in re-aligning my world view anyway.
kaila
join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL

kaila

Member

Not going to rush into this........

I've seen first hand how Clearwire's deployments outside the US operate (very well), but disappointed to see how poorly the service is performing stateside. I'll wait and see how things shake out.
expert007
join:2006-01-10
Buffalo, NY

expert007

Member

Re: Not going to rush into this........

Deployments outside the US?? Was unaware....
kaila
join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL

kaila

Member

Re: Not going to rush into this........

I used them around Ireland last year. 2~3.5Mbps, typically sub 100ms latency, 18 euro a month. Worked very well.

anjorusso
@speakeasy.net

anjorusso

Anon

when is this coming to nyc?:(((((

come on already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: when is this coming to nyc?:(((((

Not until mid 2010 I believe.
bshelly
Premium Member
join:2002-02-17
Conover, NC

bshelly

Premium Member

I can't wait :)

They must be doing something because I had no signal on my modem here in Aurora (Liberty and Commerce St), but I recycled it and it found a signal again, but it won't authenticate. So they must have done some maintenance this week. I have DSL still, so I haven't been checking my Xohm ZyXel modem as often. My Xohm USB modem worked in Schaumburg last week, so that's a good sign
LineNoise
join:2006-06-25
Downers Grove, IL

LineNoise

Member

Always left out...

Where's my invite?

INsano
@clearwire-wmx.net

INsano

Anon

Nice.

Posting from my laptop with a Clear USB modem in Portland, OR.

Before Clear opened here, Comcast and Qwest had a duopoly. I now pay to Clear half of what I was paying for slower DSL through Qwest. Qwest has now dropped their DSL prices almost 66%, but F 'em, they're not mobile AND they're super telco douches.

And Comcast? Well I don't need to explain why I wouldn't want to have their service.

Have been nothing but delighted with Clear.
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

1 edit

xenophon

Member

Re: Nice.

What's your performance and ping time?

Found these Clear mobile wimax tests...

»/archi ··· -wmx.net

INsano
@clearwire-wmx.net

INsano

Anon

Re: Nice.

I average 6mb down and a little better than .5 up. Peak speeds are above 10mb down and near 1mb up.

»www.speedtest.net/result ··· 9610.png