dslreports logo
 story category
Sprint Highlights '4G' Launch Plans
Launch will largely mirror Clearwire deployment...

Not too surprisingly, Sprint's 4G phone buildout is largely going to mirror that of their spun-off Clearwire mobile WiMax venture, according to a press release issued by the company this morning. Earlier this month, Clearwire announced they'd be deploying their network -- currently only available in Baltimore and Portland -- into eight additional markets this year. In turn, Comcast says they'll be reselling Clearwire service in Portland soon, with additional cities on deck.

According to Sprint, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle should see service this year. A few smaller markets you may have heard of will come online in 2010, including Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC. Sprint isn't saying which of these markets will go live next, but Chicago has been live (though not commercially available) for some time now.

Sprint will essentially be operating as an MVNO on the Clearwire network, and will be offering a lot of gear that provides CDMA/WiMax/Wi-Fi connectivity. Sprint already offers a $80 U300 CDMA/WiMax modem card to users in Portland, and insists a number of new devices are on tap for 2009, including "a single-mode 4G data card, embedded laptops, a small-office-home-office broadband modem and a tri-mode phone."
view:
topics flat nest 

kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY

kamm

Member

2010 for NYC? WAAAY too late...

...as I said before. They've got this year to make big inroads against cell-based mobile 3G and even so downward price pressure is already accelerating with the arrival of ever-cheaper unlimited plans.

I don't know what's up with executives today - why almost ALL are completely fuckin clueless???
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Lees Summit, MO

1 recommendation

me1212

Member

Re: 2010 for NYC? WAAAY too late...

Because phailure is rewarded?

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

en102

Member

Re: 2010 for NYC? WAAAY too late...

Exactly. Why work, when you can get a golden parachute and bonus for failure.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez to kamm

Member

to kamm
Can you name another 4G service that will be rolled out anywhere in this country, let alone NYC, by next year? Sure, 3G service will likely be cheaper then but I think you are missing the point. The same could have been said when 3G was initially rolled out, did you argue then that it wouldnt be successful due to the price drops in 2G?

I think the important thing to understand about 4G is that its not just 'faster wireless internet', but a new paradigm shift. Its the start of an all IP service that will eventually do away with 'cellular' voice and move to all data. Once carriers migrate to all 4G it wont make financial sense to have separate voice and data networks, so this is more of a 'revolutionary' change then 'evolutionary' as some people think.

DaveDude
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey

DaveDude

Member

Re: 2010 for NYC? WAAAY too late...

I think Verizon is launching 4G later this year, probably in the north east. Either way, Sprint isnt internatonal compatible.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez

Member

Re: 2010 for NYC? WAAAY too late...

said by DaveDude:

I think Verizon is launching 4G later this year, probably in the north east.
I am not sure about that, I think they are beginning to test it later this year, but dont expect any rollouts until 2010.
said by DaveDude:

Either way, Sprint isnt internatonal compatible.
Yes and no. Wimax as a standard is the same as any other wireless technology. This means if you travel to other countries that have deployed it you will have compatibility assuming it uses the same band (no different than 'world' phones today).
Big Dawg 23
join:2002-03-27
Northfield, MN

Big Dawg 23 to DaveDude

Member

to DaveDude
Verizon will begin testing later this summer. Being a VZW customer I am interested by this. Sprint has to do something to stop the hemorrhaging of customers nearing a million per quarter the last 2 or 3.

Verizon hopes to have LTE in 25-30 cities in 2010. I am lucky to be in one of the possible test markets.

»news.digitaltrends.com/n ··· for-2009

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

en102 to wifi4milez

Member

to wifi4milez
Its already being done on 3G.

»www.zer01mobile.com/

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez

Member

Re: 2010 for NYC? WAAAY too late...

said by en102:

Its already being done on 3G.

»www.zer01mobile.com/
They actually claim the service works on EDGE and even GPRS as well. The product is launching next week so we shall see!

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

1 edit

en102

Member

Re: 2010 for NYC? WAAAY too late...

I'm skeptical as well.
3g - sure
EDGE - possible, I wouldn't expect quality - latency is too high.
GPRS - highly doubtful.

I'd personally use it just for the cost and international roaming deals.

If I was living in Canada, I'd be purchasing one of these down here just for the data.

RickNY
Premium Member
join:2000-11-02
Bellport, NY

RickNY to kamm

Premium Member

to kamm
said by kamm:

...as I said before. They've got this year to make big inroads against cell-based mobile 3G and even so downward price pressure is already accelerating with the arrival of ever-cheaper unlimited plans.
Seriously -- who else is coming to NYC with 4G in the next year? Better yet, who is leading the price pressure? What "ever-cheaper" unlimited plans are you referring to?

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

sorry....

WiMax is not 4g

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez

Member

Re: sorry....

said by AVD:

WiMax is not 4g
Mobile Wimax is what is being discussed here, and that is 100% classified as 4G.
expert007
join:2006-01-10
Buffalo, NY

1 edit

expert007 to AVD

Member

to AVD
Why WOULDN'T it be 4G?? hhmmm..
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Sammer

Member

Re: sorry....

said by expert007:

Why WOULDN'T it be 4G?? hhmmm..
Maybe because there is no official definition of 4G yet, so like LTE it should probably be considered pre-4G.