Document Actions
Sprint, Clearwire Get Set to Merge
Thanks to the FCC’s approval, the clock is now really ticking forward on the Sprint-Clearwire merger that will create the “New” Clearwire and its nationwide WiMax network.
While we still need to see a
Clearwire shareholder vote later this month, the number everyone wants to
know — how many folks have signed up for Xohm services in Baltimore — is still
unknown, since neither Sprint nor Clearwire reported any Xohm user numbers in
their recent respective earnings calls.
There were some WiMax nuggets, however — one from Sprint’s report last Friday
said that the company spent $134 million in capex on WiMax during the quarter,
we are guessing probably not all in Baltimore but in some soon-to-launch markets
as well.
On the Clearwire side, the company all but stopped promoting its previous
“WiMax-like” service, signing up just 8,000 new subscribers during the
most-recent quarter. However, on the mobile WiMax side Clearwire said its
Portland, Ore., network is ready for an “official” launch in Q1 2009 (though it
will probably be working before the end of the calendar year) and that it also
successfully tested the implementation of a mobile WiMax overlay in one of its
previous technology markets. Having lots of spectrum is what will let
Clearwire upgrade its past markets to mobile WiMax without having to rip out the
earlier technology.
Once the deal is done, the new Clearwire will be able to move forward with
planning, marketing and deployment — we are still guessing (and it is just a
guess) that there will be some big splash at CES 2009, with any luck on the
mobile WiMax network Clearwire is building there. Maybe it’s time for some
snoopin’ and sniffin’ to see if the network is live yet.
Paul Kapustka
Sidecut Reports
