4Ginfo.com - your source of 4G News, Reviews, Products for WiMAX & LTE

   
left: CLEAR coverage in Maui; right: CLEAR coverage in Honolulu

Great news for Hawaiian broadband-lovers: CLEAR and Sprint 4G have launched their WiMAX networks in several areas of both Honolulu and Maui!

Below is an excerpt from the CLEAR press release for the new markets in Hawaii:

HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 1, 2009-- Clearwire Communications, LLC, an operating subsidiary of Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ:CLWR) announced today the expansion of its sales operations for CLEAR’s super fast mobile Internet service in Honolulu and Maui.

With CLEAR, consumers and businesses can access the Internet wirelessly, at true broadband speeds – at home, in the office, and on the go anywhere in the CLEAR coverage area. CLEAR covers 800,000 of the 1.2 million people in the state of Hawaii. Service extends 1,759 square miles over three islands: Oahu, Maui, and Lanai.

“CLEAR is excited to bring to Honolulu and Maui residents, businesses and visitors an Internet experience similar to what they’re used to having at home or the office, anywhere around town or on the go,” said Jon Gelman, Clearwire’s regional vice president. “We're pleased to provide this community a valuable new category of Internet service designed to make people’s lives more enjoyable and more productive.”

A CLEAR Difference

The CLEAR customer experience is similar to that provided by Wi-Fi, but without the short-range limitations of a traditional Internet hotspot. CLEAR uses a wireless 4G technology that differs from Wi-Fi called WiMAX, which provides service areas measured in miles, not feet. Furthermore, CLEAR gives you average mobile download speeds of 3 to 6 mbps with bursts over 10 mbps.*

As the Internet integrates deeper into daily life, the opportunities to stay connected and be productive are enhanced by CLEAR in numerous ways. For example:

• A mobile professional no longer needs to seek out Wi-Fi hotspots or be constrained by the speeds and limitations of 3G modem cards;
• A college student or retiree can now have affordable Internet service to meet their needs at home, on campus and on-the-go;
• A commuter can now work or access entertainment sites like Hulu or Pandora on the way to and from home;
• A busy parent can now have full Internet connectivity for kids studying or playing games in the back of the family minivan.

For these and many other customers, CLEAR’s simple and innovative pricing provides ultimate flexibility. CLEAR’s mobile and residential plans can be purchased by the day or by the month, with several no-service-contract options available. Home Internet service plans start at $25 (USD) per month. Regular mobile Internet plans start at $35 per month, or, for a limited time, customers can take advantage of CLEAR’s mobile Internet promotion with plans starting at $30 per month for customers that sign-up for service online at www.clear.com. Customers can also purchase a convenient day pass for $10. Additional savings are available for customers by purchasing a combination of services that could include home-and-mobile or mobile-and-mobile Internet plans starting at $55 for both, or by signing up for a two-year service agreement. The dual-mode 4G/3G plan is available for just $70 per month with a two-year service agreement. Customers can find full details about pricing options, business plans and purchasing the service online at www.clear.com, or by visiting other authorized CLEAR dealers.

CLEAR service is available online at Clear.com and beginning today at CLEAR retail stores and authorized dealer locations throughout the area. CLEAR retail locations are located on the island of Oahu at Windward Mall, Pearlridge Mall, Ala Moana Mall, Kahala Mall and on Keeaumoku St. Retail locations on the island of Maui are located at Queen Kaahumanu Mall and on Dairy Road. 

Discuss the latest WiMAX launches on the 4G Forums

After announcing that they would be receiving $1.5 billion in funding from Sprint and others earlier this month, there's more good financial news for CLEAR's future: Clearwire announced yesterday that they had raised another $920 million to help fund the build-out of their (eventual) nationwide 4G WiMAX network. Bill Morrow, CEO of Clearwire, had this to say about the financial news: "With this latest tranche of additional funding, we have not only exceeded the amount of capital that we have previously stated we needed to fully fund our business plan, but we have also secured additional capital that will allow us to expand more aggressively by covering more people and with more capacity than we had previously planned."

It takes a lot of money and a long time to build a truly nationwide network (even 3G, which started rolling out in the US several years ago from providers like Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T, is still not available "everywhere" from any provider), so even with this latest round of funding for Clearwire it is important to realize that it will be quite a while before 4G is widely available. However, Clearwire has done a respectable job thus far: they now have WiMAX service available in 13 markets and have over half a million subscribers, with big goals of major expansions in 2010. Hopefully the many billions of dollars investors have put towards Clearwire will translate into a speedy roll-out of reliable, fast internet service made available to more users who don't have access to other high-speed internet options.

Discuss Clearwire's latest round of fund-raising on the 4G Forums

As we first discussed last July, Time Warner will soon be offering WiMAX service to their customers in Dallas and Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina. Time Warner is one of the major investors in Clearwire and will be re-selling the CLEAR WiMAX service (just like Sprint does with their "Sprint 4G" service; Comcast also does this in other markets as well). Time Warner will be offering WiMAX as well as combination 4G+3G packages as part of a few different "bundles", giving special discounts to customers who subscribe to multiple Time Warner cable or home internet services. It's an interesting option for folks who already subscribe to Time Warner's services for their TV or home internet - for an extra charge, customers can add 4G or 4G+3G service to their existing account and have everything neat and tidy on one bill. 

If you're a Time Warner customer in another market, you may soon have access to these options, too: Time Warner has announced that they'll be expanding the service into Honolulu and Maui later this year, and into San Antonio and Austin in early 2010!

Discuss this topic on the 4G Forums

We have discussed Sprint & Clearwire's battles with iPCS, an Illinois-based Sprint affiliate, several times over the past year - iPCS was trying to block Sprint/Clearwire from deploying WiMAX in the markets they serve, citing exclusivity clauses - and it appears that Sprint has finally found a solution to their legal wranglings with the company by purchasing iPCS. The acquisition would make iPCS's lawsuit against Sprint moot, and Sprint and Clearwire would then be able to move ahead with launching WiMAX networks in those markets (iPCS currently offers service in portions of Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio and Tennessee). 

Sally Wesorick, the city administrator of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who has worked more than two years to set up Clearwire's 4G mobile network, is hopeful that the acquisition will mean that Clearwire will finally be able to launch WiMAX in her community. "I've been in touch with Clearwire, but no timeline has been set," she said. "I believe they will wait until the deal is concluded." Clearwire spokeswoman Susan Johnston echoed that sentiment, saying "Given the uncertainties that surround such agreements prior to closing, it would be premature to speculate on how this well affect our plans for Grand Rapids."

Stay tuned for more details on the iPCS acquisition and hopefully subsequent WiMAX launch plans in the region, and discuss the issue on the 4G Forums.

As promised last month, CLEAR and Sprint have launched more new markets today: Austin and San Antonio, Texas. Below is Sprint's press release announcing the Austin launch:

Sprint 4G Blazes into Austin

Sprint brings wireless speeds up to 10 times faster than today’s 3G from any national wireless carrier

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2009-- The wireless future just arrived in Austin. Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced the launch of Sprint 4G mobile broadband throughout the Austin area. As a result, streaming video, fast file downloads and uploads and turbo-charged web browsing are no longer just home, office or coffee shop benefits. Sprint 4G customers can enjoy a blazing fast wireless mobile broadband experience across the city, whether they’re working at a remote location, taking a break on campus, sitting at a favorite eatery, or as a passenger on the freeway or public transportation.

Austin is one of the first communities in Texas to enjoy 4G wireless connections from Sprint, the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology. Sprint 4G delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.¹ Sprint 4G is like a hotspot designed to reach across Austin. View 4G coverage at www.sprint.com/4G.

By dramatically increasing download speeds for photos, videos and large files, Sprint 4G is enabling innovative applications now. With Sprint 4G, you can download a favorite song, picture, sitcom or large video in seconds, not minutes, or watch live streaming video – all while on the go, not just from the home or office.

Businesses are discovering that Sprint 4G is an effective, flexible alternative for Internet connectivity that can both increase productivity and expand their capabilities. For example, retailers can implement cost-effective wireless voice and data solutions for their outlets; real estate agents can conduct virtual property tours; construction teams using 4G in the field can save valuable time by sharing schematics with engineers online; insurance companies can speed their claims management through real-time communication with on-site adjusters; educators can enhance distance learning with two-way interactive live video; health care professionals can improve their ability to remotely monitor patients; emergency first responders can rapidly assess and coordinate disaster action with real-time on-site video and audio; and photo-journalists can instantly transfer high-resolution images to the newsroom.

Sprint 4G extends the web experience to meet each person’s moment-to-moment mobile needs by using 4G data cards and routers and, in the future, laptop solutions and mobile phones that deliver rich content, larger file transfers, streaming video and low-latency remote access.

“Sprint continues to lead the charge in rolling out wireless 4G in cities across America and the momentum continues to build,” said Todd Rowley, vice president of Sprint 4G. “Our aggressive expansion of Sprint 4G will include many new devices and capabilities that create increased performance and productivity while enhancing personal lifestyles on the go.”

Sprint 4G powered by WiMAX is expanding across the country

Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. In addition to Austin, Sprint is also launching 4G service today in San Antonio. Earlier this year Sprint 4G launched in the Texas cities of Dallas and Ft. Worth; Abilene; Amarillo; Corpus Christi; Killeen and Temple; Lubbock; Midland and Odessa; Waco; and Wichita Falls. Sprint 4G has also launched in Atlanta; Chicago; Las Vegas; Philadelphia; Portland, Ore.; Bellingham, Wash.; Boise, Idaho; Milledgeville, Ga. and several cities in North Carolina, including Charlotte; Greensboro (along with High Point and Winston-Salem) and Raleigh (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham). Sprint also plans to deploy Sprint 4G service in these additional markets in 2009: Honolulu; Maui, Hawaii; Salem, Ore. and Seattle.

In 2010, Sprint expects to launch service in multiple markets, including Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Sprint customers in Austin can start enjoying 4G today with the 3G/4G USB Modem U300, the first device from any national wireless carrier to offer access to both 3G and 4G – practically future-proofing wireless technology for its customers. Sprint customers can take advantage of America’s most dependable 3G network² when outside of 4G coverage. For a limited time, customers can benefit from a 4G promotion allowing them to get the dual-mode device for free after a $50 mail-in rebate for consumers and instant rebates for business clients (excludes taxes) with a two-year agreement. Sprint is currently offering new 4G/3G data plans for consumers at $69.99 monthly with unlimited 4G and 4G/3G data plans for businesses at $69.99 with unlimited 4G and unlimited 3G on the Sprint network³ (price plans exclude surcharges and taxes).

For those who live and work outside of a Sprint 4G service area, but find themselves in a 4G service area, Sprint offers a 3G-only plan at $59.99 per month with the U300. Customers can then purchase a 4G day-pass when they visit any Sprint 4G service areas. The $9.99 day-pass enables Sprint 4G on their device for 24 hours.

Customers in Sprint 4G service areas can purchase the U300 and sign up for 4G/3G plans at select Sprint retail stores, select Best Buy stores and local retailers. Customers who are not yet in a current Sprint 4G service area can purchase the dual-mode U300, 3G plans and 4G day passes via Sprint telesales at 1-800-Sprint-1 or online at www.sprint.com/4G.

Sprint has several new 4G devices planned for 2009 and 2010, including a single-mode 4G data card, embedded laptops and a 4G phone.

Sprint is harnessing the power of 4G as the largest shareholder of Clearwire with a 51 percent stake in this independent company that is building the WiMAX network. Sprint is the only national wireless carrier to offer 4G services on the Clearwire WiMAX network.

Discuss the latest launches on the 4G Forums

As promised last month, CLEAR and Sprint have launched more new markets today: Austin and San Antonio, Texas. Below is Sprint's press release announcing the San Antonio launch:

Sprint 4G Blazes into San Antonio

Sprint Brings Wireless Speeds Up to 10 Times Faster Than Today’s 3G from Any National Wireless Carrier

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2009-- The wireless future just arrived in San Antonio. Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced the launch of Sprint 4G mobile broadband throughout the San Antonio area. As a result, streaming video, fast file downloads and uploads and turbo-charged web browsing are no longer just home, office or coffee shop benefits. Sprint 4G customers can enjoy a blazing fast wireless mobile broadband experience across the city, whether they’re working at a remote location, taking a break on campus, sitting at a favorite River Walk eatery or as a passenger on the freeway or public transportation.

San Antonio is one of the first communities in Texas to enjoy 4G wireless connections from Sprint, the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology. Sprint 4G delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.¹ Sprint 4G is like a hotspot designed to reach across San Antonio. View 4G coverage at www.sprint.com/4G.

By dramatically increasing download speeds for photos, videos and large files, Sprint 4G is enabling innovative applications now. With Sprint 4G, you can download a favorite song, picture, sitcom or large video in seconds, not minutes, or watch live streaming video – all while on the go, not just from the home or office.

Businesses are discovering that Sprint 4G is an effective, flexible alternative for Internet connectivity that can both increase productivity and expand their capabilities. For example, retailers can implement cost-effective wireless voice and data solutions for their outlets; real estate agents can conduct virtual property tours; construction teams using 4G in the field can save valuable time by sharing schematics with engineers online; insurance companies can speed their claims management through real-time communication with on-site adjusters; educators can enhance distance learning with two-way interactive live video; health care professionals can improve their ability to remotely monitor patients; emergency first responders can rapidly assess and coordinate disaster action with real-time on-site video and audio; and photo-journalists can instantly transfer high-resolution images to the newsroom.

Sprint 4G extends the web experience to meet each person’s moment-to-moment mobile needs by using 4G data cards and routers and, in the future, laptop solutions and mobile phones that deliver rich content, larger file transfers, streaming video and low-latency remote access.

“Sprint continues to lead the charge in rolling out wireless 4G in cities across America and the momentum continues to build,” said Todd Rowley, vice president of Sprint 4G. “Our aggressive expansion of Sprint 4G will include many new devices and capabilities that create increased performance and productivity while enhancing personal lifestyles on the go.”

Sprint 4G powered by WiMAX is expanding across the country

Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. In addition to San Antonio, Sprint is also launching 4G service today in Austin. Earlier this year Sprint 4G launched in the Texas cities of Dallas and Ft. Worth; Abilene; Amarillo; Corpus Christi; Killeen and Temple; Lubbock; Midland and Odessa; Waco; and Wichita Falls. Sprint 4G has also launched in Atlanta; Chicago; Las Vegas; Philadelphia; Portland, Ore.; Bellingham, Wash.; Boise, Idaho; Milledgeville, Ga. and several cities in North Carolina, including Charlotte; Greensboro (along with High Point and Winston-Salem) and Raleigh (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham). Sprint also plans to deploy Sprint 4G service in these additional markets in 2009: Honolulu; Maui, Hawaii; Salem, Ore. and Seattle.

In 2010, Sprint expects to launch service in multiple markets, including Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Sprint customers in San Antonio can start enjoying 4G today with the 3G/4G USB Modem U300, the first device from any national wireless carrier to offer access to both 3G and 4G – practically future-proofing wireless technology for its customers. Sprint customers can take advantage of America’s most dependable 3G network² when outside of 4G coverage. For a limited time, customers can benefit from a 4G promotion allowing them to get the dual-mode device for free after a $50 mail-in rebate for consumers and instant rebates for business clients (excludes taxes) with a two-year agreement. Sprint is currently offering new 4G/3G data plans for consumers at $69.99 monthly with unlimited 4G and 4G/3G data plans for businesses at $69.99 with unlimited 4G and unlimited 3G on the Sprint network³ (price plans exclude surcharges and taxes).

For those who live and work outside of a Sprint 4G service area, but find themselves in a 4G service area, Sprint offers a 3G-only plan at $59.99 per month with the U300. Customers can then purchase a 4G day-pass when they visit any Sprint 4G service areas. The $9.99 day-pass enables Sprint 4G on their device for 24 hours.

Customers in Sprint 4G service areas can purchase the U300 and sign up for 4G/3G plans at select Sprint retail stores, select Best Buy stores and local retailers. Customers who are not yet in a current Sprint 4G service area can purchase the dual-mode U300, 3G plans and 4G day passes via Sprint telesales at 1-800-Sprint-1 or online at www.sprint.com/4G.

Sprint has several new 4G devices planned for 2009 and 2010, including a single-mode 4G data card, embedded laptops and a 4G phone.

Sprint is harnessing the power of 4G as the largest shareholder of Clearwire with a 51 percent stake in this independent company that is building the WiMAX network. Sprint is the only national wireless carrier to offer 4G services on the Clearwire WiMAX network. 

Discuss the latest launches on the 4G Forums