Clearwire throttling at-home WiMAX users?

Ah, throttling. Can't ever seem to fully shake it, can we? Just weeks after hearing about a similar issue with the EVO 4G, scores of Clear at-home WiMAX users are now up in arms over apparent throttling on certain accounts. As the story goes, it seems as if the company is pulling back on upload and download speeds (from 10Mbps to around 0.25Mbps) for users who have consumed between 7GB and 10GB in a month, which is comically low even compared to Comcast's hated 250GB / month usage cap. Forum users are finding customer service lines to be no help whatsoever, and some digging has found that this may all be a part of a network traffic administration program that's ongoing within Clearwire. Have any of you seen similar issues? How much data are you sucking down per month? Does your usage clock still show up in your account profile? Let us know in comments below.

Clearwire launches WiMAX roaming in Japan in partnership with UQ Communications

U.S. WiMAX network operator Clearwire has launched 4G roaming services with UQ Communications of Japan, offering its customers the ability to take WIMAX speeds beyond their borders. Available today, Clearwire and UQ customers relying on Intel WiMAX embedded netbooks and notebooks (or just using a WiMAX USB modem) will be able to sign-up for a Day Pass and use unlimited data while travelling throughout the covered markets in Japan and the United States.

Interested U.S. citizens travelling to Japan will have to pour out 600 JPY (about $6-7) to get a UQ WiMAX day pass. UQ provides UQ WiMAX services to more than 90% of the population in 15 of Japan’s largest cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.
And that’s just the beginning.  Clearwire also said that it is actively working with its Global Alliance Partners to expand the service to other countries around the world. We’ll definitely talk about any such deal the second it’s announced. Stay tuned…

What Is WiMax? And How Does It Work?

Until recently, Internet access basically came in three flavors: broadband, Wi-Fi, and dial-up. Broadband — commonly hooked up in your home through either a DSL or cable modem — can be expensive and isn't available in many remote regions of the country; Wi-Fi, although wireless, has a very limited range; and dial-up is, well, just slow and outdated.
But now a fourth option has entered the online arena that is designed to address some of its predecessors shortcomings. It's called WiMax.
What is WiMax?
Along with a competing standard called "LTE," WiMax, short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, represents 4G or the "fourth generation" of wireless Internet. The new technology is similar to Wi-Fi in that it allows users to connect to the Internet without wires. But unlike Wi-Fi, which might be able to cover a whole building or city block, WiMax can cover vast distances (like the cell phone network), and provides high-speed Internet access (like broadband). It is is essentially, wireless broadband. What this means for Internet users is the ability to Tweet, type, or search online using a desktop or laptop computer from almost any geographic location — not just the confines of a local coffee shop or book store.
Coverage and Speed
The WiMax network operates similarly to a Wi-Fi connection, but with a few key differences. The system has two main components: A WiMax tower and a WiMax receiver. Like Wi-Fi, WiMax can connect directly to the Internet by sending a signal from a WiMax tower to a WiMax-enabled computer via a wired connection. A WiMax tower, however, can also connect to a second tower — this is what allows the network to provide long-range wireless service. WiMAX transmiters can cover an estimated 30-mile radius whereas Wi-Fi's range is about 100 feet. In other words, WiMax turns many small, scattered hot spots into one huge wireless hot spot.
The Future of WiMax
In 2008, a new company called Clearwire — an investment of Google, Intel, Comcast, Time Warner, and Sprint  — launched its plan to build a WiMax network across the nation. Today, Clearwire offers service in 52 U.S. markets, including Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas. Clearwire announced a soft-lauch of WiMax in New York and Los Angeles in September, with a full roll out expected by the end of this year.

Clearwire, Sprint, Comcast break Boston's 4G floodgate

Broadband cellular coverage hits Boston today, as Clearwire Corp. and its partners officially launched 4G service in Boston. Clearwire's CLEAR 4G WiMax-based fourth generation (4G) cellular service stretches from Danvers to Norwood, officials said.
One of Clearwire's partners, Comcast Corp., reported it has launched its own 4G service, called High-Speed 2go, riding on Clearwire's local 4G infrastructure. In May, Comcast announced it would begin offering 3G service to customers through Sprint Nextel Corp., and eventually 4G service through Clearwire.
Sprint, the majority investor in Clearwire, also announced its 4G service has officially launched today. Earlier this month, Matt Carter, Sprint’s president of 4G, said in an interview that it would happen within “a few weeks.”

In addition to the 2.5 million people Clearwire (Nasdaq: CLWR) said it now reaches in greater Boston, the Kirkland, Wash.-based company also launched the service in Framingham, Natick, Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill. With the new launches, CLEAR 4G is now available in 52 markets across the country.

In addition to the Bay State communities getting their first taste of 4G coverage, Clearwire fired up the service in Providence, R.I., and Daytona Beach, Fla., today, and Sprint also turned on coverage in those cities. When a CLEAR 4G user loses the 4G coverage, the modems Clearwire is selling will keep users connected by linking to Sprint’s 3G data network. Sprint is a partner with Clearwire in the 4G deployment, and Sprint’s own 4G offerings will connect through Clearwire’s towers.

To connect to the CLEAR 4G network, Clearwire is selling mobile modems, a home modem and WiMax-embedded laptops. In addition, Clearwire will be selling its access through a service plan called Rover, in which a customer can purchase – with no contract – a single day at $5, a week at $20 or a month at $50 with unlimited usage.

The CLEAR 4G service is expected to run at speeds between 3 Megabits per second and 6 Mbps, with bursts of up to 10 Mbps. In tests of the Sprint Epic 4G phone on the Clearwire-based Sprint 4G service – which is still in test mode – Mass High Tech found 4G speeds running between 2.49 Mbps and 3.08 Mbps when the service was available.

Clearwire Rover: Pay As You Go WiMax By the Day, Week, or Month

Clearwire just launched Rover, a no-contract service that offers unlimited WiMax goodness for $5 a day, $20 a week, or $50 a month, along with two new WiMax modems. Yep, get ready to start topping up your 4G.
The service is launching in all of Clearwire's WiMax markets with two modems: a $99 USB stick called, um, the Rover Stick, and a $150 puck called, uh, the Rover Puck. The latter of the two can service as a WiMax hotspot for up to eight devices—it has Wi-Fi b/g/n and can simultaneously run 2 SSIDs—though neither have any 3G connectivity.

Here, for your reference, is a map of Clearwire's coverage.
Users will be able to buy new service in some retail stores, like Best Buy, or online, in $20 and $50 increments. Rover, they explain, is "designed for digitally addicted youth who refuse to settle for long-term contracts." Don't you call me an addict, Clearwire. [Rover via Slashgear]

Clearwire Introduces Rover: Instant Gratification to the Internet Addicted
Nation's First Pay-As-You-Go 4G Mobile Broadband Service
Unlimited Usage for Just $5/day, $20/week, $50/month
Redefines "Friends with Benefits" with Rover Puck(TM)
Rover Stick(TM) Available for Those With Commitment Issues
KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug 30, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ:CLWR) today unveiled Rover(TM): the nation's first pay-as-you-go 4G mobile broadband service for tech-savvy Gen Y customers. The Rover brand is designed for digitally addicted youth who refuse to settle for long-term contracts, overpriced internet service, or speeds slower than what they've become accustomed to at home.
Rover is available in all of Clearwire's 49 4G markets across the U.S. at rover.com. Rover is also available at CLEAR stores, Best Buy stores and select independent wireless dealers in Houston and St. Louis.
"Simple, commitment-free wireless services are wildly popular with the Gen Y crowd, and Rover provides them with the first pay-as-you-go unlimited mobile internet offering at 4G speeds," said Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer for Clearwire. "We've built Rover from the ground up with products, pricing and features designed specifically to serve a younger market who knows how you get connected is just as important as where. Expanding our offers to meet this underserved segment is an important new business opportunity for Clearwire as we continue to extend our leadership in mobile broadband."
"The opportunity for pay-as-you-go mobile broadband should not be underestimated," said Carrie MacGillvray, program manager and wireless analyst at IDC. "Prepaid – or pay-as-you-go – data provides an option for consumers to experiment with the power of mobile broadband without being saddled with a two-year commitment. A prepaid mobile broadband service can offer consumers the ability to access and share Internet service, at home or on the go, in an affordable way."
PUCKS AND STICKS
Friends with Benefits
Rover's flagship device is the Rover Puck: an ergonomically designed portable Wi-Fi hotspot that lets you share broadband access, or "Puck", with up to eight devices at home, out on the town or nearly anywhere the feeling strikes you. The Rover Puck can easily slip into a purse or backpack and serve as an on-the-go broadband access point for devices such as laptops, netbooks, the iPad(TM), the iPod touch(R), smartphones, PSP(R) systems, game consoles, and Wi-Fi enabled digital cameras, among others. Users have the option to connect up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously.
The Rover Puck features mobile download speeds of three to six mbps, with bursts over 10 mbps (up to 4x faster than conventional 3G), using Clearwire's 4G network. The Rover Puck is available today for $149.99 (plus tax).
Going Solo
The Rover Stick(TM) is a personal 4G USB modem that connects any notebook, laptop or desktop to the Rover 4G Service. The Rover Stick is compatible with MacBook(R) and MacBook(R) Pro laptops using Mac OS X, as well as netbooks and notebooks running Windows(R) XP, Windows Vista(R) and Windows(R) 7. Offering the same super-fast internet speed as the Rover Puck, the Rover Stick is available today for $99.99 (plus tax).
No Commitment Issues
New users receive two free days of service to ensure Rover's metro-focused 4G coverage fits their mobile lifestyle. Rover has a 14-day no-hassle return policy for any device purchases made on rover.com or in CLEAR stores.
Rover is priced at $5/day, $20/week, or $50/month for unlimited 4G internet usage. Depending on the retail channel, customers will be able to purchase a Rover Re-Up PIN code or physical Rover Re-Up card in $20 or $50 denominations. Rover Re-Up is available online at rover.com, at all retail outlets carrying the Rover Puck or Rover Stick, as well as at Rover Re-Up specific retail locations. Rover does not require a credit card to activate service and is designed to bring broadband internet to a new audience.
GENERATION Y
The Rover brand is designed for a demographic that has grown up in a wireless world. They manage their life through the internet, and their devices signify status. Rover provides products and service to meet their need for all things internet.
"Rover's target audience has never known life without internet. They love their devices and they want as much speed and capacity as possible, without the limits and commitments of most mobile options," said Seth Cummings, GM, Rover. "Rover offers iconic devices along with straight-forward pricing, and plans where unlimited truly means unlimited. It is not in Rover's DNA to be constraining, confusing or complex."
MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Launch campaign
Rover's initial communications will showcase the dramatic ways in which 4G mobile broadband can change human behavior in previously unimagined ways. More information is available at www.evology.com.
Life @ 4G
Rover.com invites users to experience "Life @ 4G." Rover-sponsored athletes and music artists will be profiled, showing how Rover influences their careers and lives as they live Life @ 4G. Sporting a Rover wingsuit, base jumper JT Holmes, who travels up to 150 mph during freefall proximity flying, lives life with the Rover Puck and no strings attached.
Rover Activity Badges
Rover believes in loyalty, and will introduce a badging system that rewards users for participating in Rover activities. For example, the "Trendsetter" badge recognizes early adopters of Rover in each market, and the "Friends with Benefits" badge acknowledges users who refer friends to the Rover service. Badges have become wildly popular on location-based apps and are expected to resonate with the youth consumer and motivate usage.
THE BIG PICTURE
4G Network of Networks
Rover is the newest brand connected to the Clearwire 4G network, joining brands which include CLEAR(R), Sprint 4G, Comcast High-Speed 2Go, Time Warner Cable Roadrunner 4G, Best Buy Connect and Cbeyond. Today, the Clearwire 4G "network of networks" is available in select cities throughout the United States, where approximately 56 million people live.
Detailed coverage maps of service availability can be found at www.rover.com/coverage.
For press, broadcast and bloggers: Video footage can be linked from www.youtube.com/rover4g. Product and brand images and company logos can be downloaded from the Clearwire Newsroom at www.clearwire.com/newsroom. To subscribe to Rover RSS news feed, click here.
For more information about Rover, visit www.rover.com. Clearwire company information is available at http://www.clearwire.com.

Clearwire Adds a Dual-Mode 4G/3G Modem for Macs

Sticking to their word about not giving up unlimited data plans, Clearwire's new 4G/3G dongle is compatible with Macs for the first time, and dances out alongside two more new modems offering up 4G unlimited data/Wi-Fi.

A couple new Wi-Fi/4G CLEAR hot spot sticks have also been unleashed, all with unlimited data usage. Data plans start at $30, with bundled ones coming in at a minimum of $55, and the CLEAR Spots themselves are $100 for the CLEAR Spot 4G, $225 for the CLEAR Spot 4G+, and $115 for the CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB one, which is the dual 4G/3G modem for Macs. All on sale in July, with full details in the release below: [Clear]

KIRKLAND, Wash. – June 16, 2010 – Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ: CLWR), a leading provider of wireless broadband services, today announced the upcoming availability of three new products that will extend the potential for super fast speeds and unlimited 4G usage plans to the millions of mobile devices available today.

The latest suite of devices, the CLEAR SpotTM 4G, CLEAR Spot 4G+, and the CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB bring new 4G connectivity possibilities to a wide range of Wi-Fi enabled laptops, netbooks, smartphones, and other connected devices – without the worries or hassles of tiered or capped usage plans.

The CLEAR Spot 4G offers the speed and flexibility of a personal Wi-Fi hotspot simultaneously connecting multiple Wi-Fi devices at 4G speeds, while the CLEAR Spot 4G+ adds the option of allowing users to easily and securely use nationwide 3G coverage when outside the 4G coverage area. In addition, the CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB modem is the first dual-mode mobile USB from CLEAR to deliver 4G and nationwide 3G Internet coverage to the MacBook and MacBook Pro along with other non-Mac devices.

"In today's on-the-go world, everyone deserves fast speeds and the usage they want at a fair price – without constantly checking their usage or worrying about their end of month bill," said Dow Draper, vice president of product development for Clearwire. "These new devices offer today's mobile user, and the millions of Wi-Fi products in use across the country, even greater access to CLEAR's fast and affordable 4G service."

With CLEAR® super fast mobile Internet service users can experience average mobile download speeds of 3 to 6 mbps with bursts over 10 mbps*, using Clearwire's 4G network. Unlike service plans from traditional wireless carriers which cap data usage, CLEAR offers unlimited 4G usage plans that do not require long-term service contracts. In most markets unlimited 4G coverage from CLEAR starts at $30 for the home while unlimited mobile plans start as low as $40. Bundled services such as Home and On-The-Go and Home and Voice plans start at $55 per month. CLEAR service is currently available in dozens of cities, in areas of the United States where approximately 51 million people live. A detailed map of service availability can be found at www.clear.com/coverage.

The New CLEAR Mobile Hotspots and USB

CLEAR Spot 4G
The CLEAR Spot 4G is a personal mobile hotspot allowing users to easily and securely share unlimited super fast Internet access anywhere CLEAR has coverage simultaneously with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices including laptops, smartphones, and portable gaming devices. The CLEAR Spot 4G is manufactured by InfoMark and will be available for purchase at $99.99 or for a $4.99 monthly lease. It can be preordered today at www.clear.com/spot and will available nationwide at CLEAR stores and authorized dealers in July.

CLEAR Spot 4G+
The CLEAR Spot 4G+ allows power users and road warriors alike to stay connected across the U.S. by automatically switching from 4G and connecting to Sprint's 3G nationwide network outside the 4G coverage area. The CLEAR Spot 4G+ enables users to securely share the connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices all at the same time. The CLEAR Spot 4G+ is manufactured by Sierra Wireless and will be available to purchase for $224.99 or to lease for $5.99 per month. It can be preordered today at www.clear.com/spot and will be available nationwide at CLEAR stores and authorized dealers in July.

CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB (Series S)
Clearwire already offers two 4G-only USB modems for Mac users, but today introduced the company's first dual-mode 4G/3G modem available for Mac users, the CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB. When not in the 4G coverage area, the modem will automatically switch to the Sprint 3G network to provide more ubiquitous data connectivity around the country. The 4G+ Mobile USB is compatible with MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops using Mac OS X Versions 10.5.x and 10.6.x. The new USB also supports netbooks and notebooks running Windows XP SP2, Vista and Windows 7, all in 32 and 64 bit versions. The new 4G+ Mobile USB is manufactured by Sierra Wireless.

The 4G+ USB can be purchased for $114.99 or leased monthly for $5.99. It is available today at www.clear.com/4Gplus-usb and in stores in Atlanta, Dallas, Hawaii, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading and York, PA. The CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB will be available in all 4G markets beginning July 1st.
For more information about CLEAR, visit www.clear.com. Company information about Clearwire is available at www.clearwire.com.
For press and broadcast: Product images, video footage and company logos can be downloaded from the Clearwire online media gallery. To subscribe to Clearwire's RSS news feed, click here.

WiMAX-enabled HTC Supersonic rumored to debut on Sprint at CTIA

There's hardly anything here that we didn't already know, but an unveiling date of "next week" sure catches our eye. A new report over at The Wall Street Journal confirms earlier details that were fed to us over Sprint's first-ever WiMAX smartphone, and now we're learning that the HTC Supersonic will be officially revealed to the world at CTIA next week. We've heard before that the carrier anticipates selling a 4G phone "this summer," but you can bet we'll be digging for a hard ship date and price tag when we hit the scene in Las Vegas in just five short days.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Wall Street Journal

Clear WiMAX USB modem impressions

Clearwire (along with Sprint and Comcast, just to name a couple) has been fiercely expanding its WiMAX network across America for months on end now, and while select citizens in select cities have had access to the 4G superhighway for just over a year, we haven't actually had the opportunity to find ourselves in one of those locations for any amount of time. Until recently, that is. The Clear 4G service was lit up in Las Vegas late last year, which gave the Engadget squad just enough time to scrounge up a gaggle of Motorola 4G USB sticks and really test out the network while at CES. Meanwhile, the North Carolinians among us were also able to test the boundaries of the 4G patches that have been setup here, and we're finally ready to dish out a few opinions on the fourth generation of cellular data. Eager to know if it's the best thing since the invention of the MP3? Read on to find out.

Clear WiMAX USB modem impressions

Unlike most 3G options, Clear's WiMAX solution can actually replace your home ISP. We'd probably recommend an at-home modem over a USB stick if you're going that route, but we suppose one could always shove their USB modem in their home desktop before hitting the web for the day. Our focus here is on the mobile side, but suffice it to say, if your home is within a well-covered patch of 4G, there's no reason you shouldn't considering ditching your existing ISP and giving this a shot. Granted, we wouldn't recommend that heavy users (particularly those who spend days on end uploading wacky YouTube HD videos) do such a thing, but for casual browsers the speed is likely to satisfy -- and it'll probably save you a buck or two in the end over what you're paying now.

The actual Motorola USB modem that we used was a 4G-only device, which makes it extremely limited when you're traveling. For example, if using a traditional 3G USB modem whilst in the backseat of a vehicle, it can automatically step down to 2G when you pass out of the city and into a more rural setting. It's typically seamless, and it enables one's internet experience to remain in tact even when jumping from one network to another. Unfortunately, this 4G stick is useless when traveling outside of a 4G coverage area; frankly, we'd recommend one of the 4G / 3G sticks if you're jonesing for something quicker, which will allow you to still surf at 3G speeds if you travel to an area that's outside of the 4G umbrella.

That said, the modem itself performed well in the 4G cities that we surveyed. Installation was a breeze on both Mac and PC platforms, and the bundled USB adapter enabled us to angle it as we pleased and prevented the stick itself from blocking our power ports when inserted. The connection management software was rather barebones, and it simply auto-searches and auto-connects to a network (at least on the Mac side) whenever it detects that a 4G device is present. Once connected, a row of lights informs you of your signal strength. And that's where things begin to get iffy.

More so than any 3G area we've ever been in, 4G connections just seemed overly finicky. We could literally move two feet from our current position and drop the entire signal, yet be downloading at blazing fast rates after we moved back and reconnected. We also found that the fringe areas of the posted 4G blankets are more "fringy" than those in the 3G world; unless you're in the heart of the city that Clearwire covers, you should probably expect spotty or intermittent coverage. As an example, the entire Engadget staff had full coverage (and great throughput speeds) while using 4G at our CES trailer; just a five minute walk away to the hotel brought about varied results.

I personally couldn't connect to Clearwire's network at all from my 18th floor room, while my Sprint 3G card hummed along fine; my good buddy and confidant Chris Ziegler had no issues hopping on the 4G waves from his 18th floor room that sat just a few meters down from mine. It seemed that our hotel luck was all over the place, with some connecting sans issue, some not at all and some with paltry rates and a signal that tended to drop with some level of frequency. We fully understand that CES was going on, but it's not like everyone has shifted to 4G handsets just yet -- in fact, we'd wager that the 4G network in Vegas was the lightest used during the show. We also had varying levels of success in hotel suites where press conferences were being held. Some of the team was able to liveblog entire pressers on 4G without a hiccup, while others just down the road couldn't find a signal at all to connect to (meaning we had to resort to 3G).

When we were able to nail down a solid connection, speeds were admirable. Not mind-blowing, but definitely a step up from the 3G rates that we've grown accustomed to seeing. On average, we were able to pull between 2,000 and 3,000Kbps down, while upload rates rarely topped 600Kbps. That's a fair bit less than those theoretical maximums (around half, actually), but since when has any internet service actually delivered those lofty peaks? We should also note that latency was far better on 4G than on 3G; we rarely saw ping times over 100ms, while our 3G test from a year ago rarely saw ping times under 150ms.

If you'll compare these rates to those found in the aforementioned 3G test, you'll notice that 4G is a lot more like 3.5G, so to speak. It's not going to smoke your HSDPA connection by any wide margin, and it's a lot more likely to drop out on you in our experience. Of course, one must remember than this technology is still in its infancy, and there are still waves upon waves of rollouts that need to happen before the level of infrastructure supporting it comes close to matching that already installed by 3G operators. Still, if you're looking to buy into 4G today, we can't recommend any solution that doesn't also offer 3G compatibility as a backup. In our testing, we found 4G networks to be far too spotty and unreliable to use as your sole mobile broadband solution. Even if your home or place of work is supposedly blanketed according to Clearwire, there's a decent chance that some rooms, corners and hallways won't be. 'Course, we'd be a lot more willing to forgive the shortfalls if WiMAX were available in more than a handful of cities, but hey, expansion takes time and money -- neither of which are particularly easy to come by these days.

Clearwire Demonstrates WiMAX Roaming Capabilities

Clearwire International, LLC, the operating subsidiary of Clearwire Corporation, announced on Friday together with Aicent Inc. that they had made an important step in the international WiMAX roaming area with the successful completion of the first roaming connection between WiMAX networks. The duo demonstrated the inter-network roaming connection using a USB modem and a CLEAR 4G WiMAX service username and password, through which access to a WiMAX network in Taiwan was gained.

According to the two companies, the demonstration shows how easily a CLEAR 4G WiMAX user is able to gain access to a network abroad using Aicent’s WiMAX Roaming eXchange (WRX). “The future promise of WiMAX stretches beyond national borders to offer mobile data users the ability to connect wirelessly, at broadband speeds, wherever they may travel across the globe,” Ali Tabassi, Clearwire’s senior vice president of Global Ecosystem and Standards, said. “The ability of WiMAX operators to work cooperatively in order to create seamless, simple and reliable international interoperability, as we have successfully demonstrated through Aicent’s facilities, will be crucial to realizing the tremendous social and economic potential of a truly connected world.”

WiMAX, as many of you might already know, is one of the standards on which next-generation wireless networks are based. The technology is said to support true 4G connectivity both on mobile and fixed, wireless networks. There is already a series of carriers around the world deploying the technology in their countries, and some of them already announced the availability of their services. Moreover, one should also know that there is already a wide range of devices that features support not only for WiMAX, but also for multiple radios, including WiMAX+Wi-Fi, WiMAX+EVDO and WiMAX+GSM. According to Aicent, it is already working with a series of 3G operators around the world to commercially deliver global and inter-standard roaming to the market.

“The entire communications industry stands on the precipice of immense change,” Lynn Liu, president and CEO of Aicent, added. “People are traveling with great ease and more often than not bringing with them devices that need to connect to networks. There are important technical challenges to overcome to enable people to have ‘anywhere, anytime access’ to these important, often critical, data networking connections. Aicent is fortunate to work with leaders like Clearwire to bring the innovations that will ultimately result in a worldwide ubiquitous WiMAX network.”

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Clearwire-Demonstrates-WiMAX-Roaming-Capabilities-125187.shtml

4G WiMAX: Texas, Illinois, North Carolina & Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• The wireless revolution began late 2008, when Sprint introduced a new era for wireless consumers, with the launch of the first dual-mode 3G and 4G USB modem in Baltimore. For the first time ever, customers experienced WiMAX connection with lightning-fast speed. Including speeds 3-5 times faster than 3G with peak download speeds of 12 MegaBytes per second (MBPS).
• Aggressive 4G market expansion is under way including coverage across 80 markets by the end of 2010. IMPACT and Sprint.com provide coverage details.
• All Care specialists are able to and should assist a 3G/4G dual-mode customer with questions, billing support, and basic troubleshooting. Only when customers require more than basic troubleshooting should they be transferred to the 4G Dedicated Support Team.
• WiMAX KMS information is easy to locate using the Content Directory – it is located under Products, 4G-WiMAX, All Specialists.

How 3G Compares to WiMAX (4G):

Feature	4G (WiMAX Broadband)	3G Service (CDMA Broadband)
Speed	Average download: 3-6 Mbps	Average download: 0.5-1.4 Mbps
Technology	WiMAX Standard – Network built for mobile broadband wireless data that is IP centric	CDMA Standard – Cellular voice network based on CDMA technology with added on data features
Reliability	Built into the 4G network based on Sprint’s heritage and experience in providing highly reliable networks	Integrated into Sprint’s 3G network
Security	WiMAX 802.16e includes the use of X.509 security certificates for both the devices and the network. Provides greater security by preventing fraudulent devices from entering the network. Helps users validate they are receiving a valid network operator signal.	Sprint Mobile Broadband uses secure CDMA technology.
Cap	No data cap	5 Gigabyte data cap
Download Times (based on peak speeds)	10MB Photo – .8 Seconds 250 MB Movie – 21 Seconds	10MB Photo – 3.3 Seconds 250 MB Movie – 83 Seconds
Enables	* Video Chat * IP TV * Cloud Computing * Synchronization * Digital Storage * User Generated Media Content * High Definition * Full Length Video * Hard Drive Synchronization * HULU * Online Interactive Gaming – Halo	* Instant Messaging * Audio Conference * Desktop Applications Windows * E-mail * User Generated Media Content * Standard Definition * Short Video Clips * File Synchronization * You Tube * Online Static Gaming – Sudoku, Chess

WiMAX requirements:

• To experience 4G, you must:
  • Be in the Baltimore MD, Portland OR, Las Vegas NV, Atlanta GA, Boise ID, and Bellingham WA area (prior to this launch of additional markets)
  • Have a 4G connection card plan (shown in the table above)
  • Have the U300 Mobile Broadband Card
  • Have Sprint Smartview – version 2.24 or higher

• A 2-year service agreement is required for new customers on U300 device purchase.

http://insidesprintnow.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/4g-wimax-texas-illinois-north-carolina/