Comcast Launches First WiMAX Market

Becoming the first cable operator in the US to offer WiMAX service, Comcast announced the availability Tuesday of bundled WiMAX services in Portland, Oregon. Other cities likely planned in the coming months.

With the launch, Comcast becomes the first cable MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) in the US offering high-speed WiMAX services.  Although no further announcements have been made, Comcast will likely launch additional markets in the coming months as its WiMAX wholesale partner Clearwire rolls out additional cities.

The new service will be marketed as "Comcast High-Speed 2go" and will provide mobile data to laptops, netbooks and other mobile devices over wireless networks with download speeds of up to 4 megabits per second.  Existing 3G wireless networks typically offer download speeds between 1 and 1.5 megabits a second or less.

Comcast will leverage its existing install base of customers, offering mobile broadband as a bundle to its existing internet service.  Comcast will offer two different devices and service plans: The Metro data card, which is typically installed into a laptop to allow wireless internet access, will cost $50/month when bundled with home internet service and will only work within the WiMAX coverage areas.  A nationwide version for $70/month will allow subscribers to get online via Sprint Nextel Corp's 3G network where the 4G network is not available.

Last year Comcast became one of the major investors in Clearwire, providing more than $1 billion of the $3.2 billion Clearwire received from Google, Intel, Time Warner and others. 

Putting the weight of the Comcast brand and sales channel should be a nice boost to WiMAX efforts in the US.  Mobile WiMAX will complement nicely with Comcast's current internet offerings - providing a bundle of one of the best fixed internet services with the best commercially available mobile broadband service.  Partnering with Sprint and offering a dual-mode 3g/WiMAX option gives them access to a nation-wide 3G footprint while WiMAX networks continue to be built-out.



 

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 in Deployments  | Permalink |  Comments (1)