It would be great if Cisco would articulate their WiMAX strategy, now that they are planning to build a WiMAX campus network. I have surmised that WiMAX connectivity is part of Cisco's IP NGN initiative- where you buy all the equipment and management software from one vendor. I would imagine that enterprise WiFi will also fit within the IP NGN umbrella.

As the world's #1 WiMAX evangelist, it makes sense for Intel to build and test a WiMAX network in its Santa Clara campus. But unfortunately, it won't extend to users outside of its perimeter, because none of the local wireless carriers operating here have announced any plans for WiMAX service.

Who are the other early adoptors of WiMAX in Silicon Valley? How about Comcast as a service provider? I've had Comcast Digital Cable since 1999 and I know many people that use Comcast as an ISP (via cable modem access). The company has announced it will be an MVNO, reselling CLEAR in Portland, OR. But how about building out a WiMAX network in Silicon Valley.

Our joint venture silicon valley network (that Cisco has been involved in) is in a holding pattern. We need a WiMAX network that will cover everywhere from Palo Alto to San Jose, at the minimum.

TMC reports that a Sprint affiliate which covers much of the Midwest won a court battle over the proposed Sprint-Cleariwre merger that resulted in the "new Clearwire."

Officials at iPCS, Inc., a Schaumburg, Illinois-based company, say the Circuit Court of Cook County denied Sprint’s motion seeking to dismiss complaints that the merger would violate their exclusivity arrangement. iPCS (News - Alert) essentially believes that it has the exclusive right to sell Sprint-brand wireless mobility communications network products and services in its 80-odd markets.

Timothy M. Yager, president and chief executive officer of iPCS, said he was “very pleased.”

“Technological advances are central to any wireless business and we are confident that after the evidence is presented in this case the Court will uphold the business deal that we reached with Sprint over ten years ago to ‘be Sprint’ in our exclusive territories and offer the most advanced seamless wireless nationwide network to our subscribers,” Yager said. “The Illinois courts have consistently upheld our contractual rights and we are confident they will continue to do so.”

Clearwire did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Here's the link to the story:

http://4g-wirelessevolution.tmcnet.com/wimax/topics/wimax/articles/55360-bad-day-court-sprint-clearwire-wimax-effort.htm

After a long period of waiting, WiMAX is now set to break out through broadband providers such as Time Warner cable and Comcast, amongst others. This is great news, as are the speeds of 6 Mbps available today. They look better than LTE rates of 50 Mbps 2 years down the line. Looks like customers may start to at least recognize WiMAX and what it can do for them.
But most offerings continue to come with USB modems as the sole way to connect to the WiMAX. This is quite in contrast to other markets such as Korea where the WiMAX( WiBro) is available as an option in a large number of handsets.
Is it a problem with the parentage with the owners such as Clearwire, Comcast and Time warner not being phone companies? What interest they would have if the phones were WiMAX capable? While it may be easy enough to accept it as a possible reason, accepting it would mean that we are not willing to look at the straight jacket world which the mobile companies have created for the customers.
The phones not only need to be FCC approved but the mobile carriers need to support them, as well allow applications which they continue to firewall but which WiMAX will immediately permit. One of the phone companies, for example allowed the VoIP to be supported only in October this year in CTIA 2009. The 3G data revenues are very robust with most subscribers opting for internet plans.( What else can you do with iPhone for example)?
What will happen to these data revenues if the mobiles could shortcut the 3G data plans with WiMAX data plans? And provide slabs for data plans which fit the bill for mobile phones ? And provide capabilities of roaming in a year from now?
The results need not be spelt out. It is a no brainer that such a thing will not be liked at all. The WiMAX companies could still make it to the phones were it not for the strict control on phones which carriers manage. There are no other markets in the world where handsets are so closely controlled by the carriers. Operators not only try to control the handset types but link to the operating software. While it may not be so bad as China, where mobile operators are trying to go for their own OS, the results are the same as the case of iPhone linked to a carrier has shown. How many dual SIM CDMA/GSM handsets we have? None.
There is still time for WiMAXers to get to handsets if FCC helps. It seems to be very keen on net neutrality but the same does not seem to extend far enough to make sure that any handset may be used in any network. Or that WiMAX operators should be allowed to offer their service through handsets?
Instead two major operators are rushing headlong into HSPA+ with 14 Mbps data rates and LTE, for once this comes in the data revenues remain home. Sprint is a hope, but will it bell the cat?
http://www.wimax-home.com