Comment and analysis is provided along with a prescription for market success:

http://www.wimax360.com/profiles/blogs/clear-4g-service-to-officially

As the largest investor in Clearwire, why hasn't Sprint announced it would be an MVNO for any CLEAR network other than Baltimore (which was previously its own Xohm network)? How will Sprint's outsourcing network operations to Ericcson impact its role as a CLEAR MVNO. Please refer to my wimax360 blog post on this topic.
http://www.wimax360.com/profiles/blogs/sprint-outsources-daily


Alan Weissberger
wimax360 Moderator and Author

When other tech companies execute on their plan, it is appreciated by their customers, but it's not the cause of joyous celebration or media briefing, e.g. Clearwire's July 21st bash at Town Square Mall on Las Vegas Boulevard.

When VZ deploys FiOS - a much more advanced access technology then WiMAX - there are no applauds or kudos. When any tech company releases a product that had been previously announced, it's not even covered in the trade press outside of a press release. So what's the big deal here?

Why is Clearwire so special? Their Las Vegas rollout has been in the works for over 2 years. They have been taking orders for the service for over 1 month. What's the surprise or upside?

Wimax.com will lose a lot of credibility if you continue to treat every CLEAR roll-out as a major accomplishment for the Wimax industry.

Here are a few more important questions:
Why do you suspect more devices will be certified now that Las Vegas will be official on July 21? Why hasn't Sprint announced it would be an MVNO for Atlanta or Las Vegas? Where are the MSO's (besides Comcast) that were to resell CLEAR? When those questions are answered affirmatively, you will have a cause for celebration. But not now and not until then.

When you have been following this industry for over 4 years as I have, 2 launches in major markets (Atlanta, Las Vegas) in 2 months is an accomplishment. Dallas and Chicago will be no different.

While much of the coverage on Clearwire may be exaggerated given all the other WiMAX developments globally, they are the only operator deploying a nation-wide mobile WiMAX network in the US and for better or worse, are a general barometer for the industry.

Carl Townsend
Editor, WiMax.com

The U.S. is the largest economy in the world and a country many look to for technology advances. Clearwire is the ONLY Mobile WiMAX operator building a nationwide network. Hence, when they roll out service to a large metro area it is a milestone worth noting, especially if you are an on-line publication covering WiMAX. If wimax.com was to ignore news like this, we would not be serving our readers.

Also note that it is Clearwire and NOT wimax.com that is celebrating (July 21st bash at Town Square Mall on Las Vegas Boulevard). We are simply reporting the news objectively. We endeavor to provide balanced coverage. See my wimax360 post for my opinion on what more is needed for Clearwire (and Mobile WiMAX) to succeed in the U.S.

Alan Weissberger
wimax360 Moderator and Author

Fiber optic junkies sometimes do not understand that wireless broadband is personal, not a static connection to a box.

The fact is that fiber has been around for decades and has hardly advanced in ways that impact the user or types of applications or content that can be run over it for, well decades. Wireless broadband is the fastest growth broadband in the world,growing much faster than fiber optic. What's more, WBB is often used along side fiber optic - FIOS seldom replaces users desire to also have data that actually goes with them instead of sitting like a coach potato on a shelf.

Why WiMAX or LTE? Go ask Verizon why they spent billions acquiring 700MHz spectrum and are spending billions, more than they are spending on FIOS, developing and deploying LTE.

The best solution is often hybrid: fiber optic serving as the dumb brute force slave connection for 3.5G, WiMAX or LTE Personal broadband which makes the connection to people, places and things.

The fiber optic junkies never quit!

Recently, I secured Clearwire's WiMax service in Las Vegas, and it works great. I have both the home and mobile service.

When I go to the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, I can trade stocks and surf the Internet at my leisure for hours.

Other: One is not restricted and tied to a wired cable or DSL Internet service. Plus, one is not restricted to a WiFi area.

Please see press release and commentary/opinion at:

http://www.wimax360.com/profiles/blogs/now-official-clear-launch-in

THe really big deal is the introduction of a 3G/Mobile WiMAX modem starting on August 1. 2009