It's been just about five months since Clearwire first announced their plans to join forces with Sprint's WiMAX division, and they have had to clear many hurdles along the way. They faced opposition from AT&T, who unsuccessfully appealed to the FCC earlier this fall to try to stop the merger, as well as from iPCS, then had to wait for approval from the FCC (which they got earlier this month), and finally were waiting on a vote from Clearwire stockholders to see that they had their stamp of approval.
Clearwire's board of directors unanimously recommended to their shareholders that they vote in favor of the merger, and Thursday's vote reflected that sentiment. The shareholders voted yesterday to approve the transaction, effectively pushing us one step closer to seeing the new Clearwire (remember, the merged Sprint/Clearwire company is going under the name "Clearwire") active!
As Clearwire CEO Benjamin G. Wolff put it,
"Today, our shareholders have taken a transformative step toward enabling an entirely new mobile Internet experience for consumers and businesses across the country. With an unmatched spectrum portfolio, a next generation all IP network, an ever-expanding ecosystem of mobile 4G devices, and the backing of some of the most innovative communications, entertainment and technology companies in the world, Clearwire is ready to redefine mobile Internet services in the U.S."
