Clearwire Goes Live With WiMax In Atlanta
Wireless Broadband Service Launch Covers 1,200 Square Miles
Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 6/16/2009 1:06:11 PM
Clearwire Communications on Tuesday officially launched WiMax wireless broadband service in Atlanta, its biggest market to date covering 1,200 square miles and offering service to about 3 million people.
The company -- whose backers include Comcast and Time Warner Cable -- plans to launch WiMax service in 80 markets reaching up to 120 million people by the end of 2010.
Currently, Clearwire's mobile WiMax is available in Baltimore and Portland, Ore., with a launch slated for Las Vegas later this summer.
In Atlanta, Clearwire has deployed more than 400 cell sites equipped with Motorola's WiMax access point products and is offering the vendor's WiMax modems with the service. Clearwire also uses Motorola gear in Baltimore.
Clearwire claimed WiMax customers can see download speeds of 4 to 6 Mbps with bursts exceeding 15 Mbps. "By delivering broadband connectivity to people, and not just places, we now offer Atlantans the freedom to enjoy super-fast Internet access wherever they go in our coverage area," Marc Brachman, general manager of Clearwire Atlanta, said in a statement.
The WiMax service, branded Clear, starts at $20 per month for residential service and $40 per month for mobile Internet plans. Clearwire offers a one-day day pass for $10.
The Motorola USB-based WiMax modem may be purchased for $59.99 or leased for $4.99 per month, while the Motorola CPEi 150 residential modem can be purchased for $79.99 or leased for $4.99 monthly. Residential customers can also add in-home voice service with purchase of the Clear Voice Adapter for $15, and receive unlimited local and long distance service for $24.99 per month.
Clearwire merged its operations with Sprint Nextel's 4G business last fall and has received a $3.2 billion investment from Intel, Comcast, Sprint, Google, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
Some of the additional markets Clearwire plans to launch WiMax in 2009 include Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Honolulu, Philadelphia, and Seattle, while those scheduled for 2010 include New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Clearwire also provides pre-WiMax services in 50 markets across the U.S. and Europe; 46 of those markets use Motorola devices and infrastructure.
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don't waste your money. I tried this service and didn't get speeds anywhere close to what they claim. I called customer service who told me 4G coverage only exists in small geographic spots around their tower and with only 400 sites, most of Atlanta I would be on Sprint's 3G network until Clearwire can build another 1000 towers. She thought these new towers would be coming on air in 6 months or so. Sprint, don't claim you are launching when people can't use the service.
Neal - 12/16/2009 1:32:22 PM EST -
Go to www.surfclearwire.com to activate if you are in Atlanta, Portland, or Las Vegas. These guys give you the best deal by offering a gift card or free months of service and let you try it for 7 days to make sure you want it.
From wireless week this AM: Clearwire expects to bring service to 80 markets and up to 120 million people by the end of 2010. Some of the additional markets planned to launch in 2009 include Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Philadelphia and Seattle. Markets planned to launch in 2010 include New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area.
SurfClear - 6/18/2009 8:38:39 AM EDT
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