Equipment

Sprint to Buy Remaining Ownership of Clearwire?

Mikel Robinson on August 3, 2010 | 18 comments

The writing has been on the wall almost since its inception, with a trail of clues leading from Wall Street to Overland Park, KS all the way west to Kirkland, WA, the days of Clearwire operating its own network under its own board of directors and, most importantly, under its own symbol on the ticker may be drawing close to an abrupt and uneventful halt. Sources familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Sprint Executives, most particularly Dan Hesse are disappointed at Clearwire’s Network Expansion and deployment as well as its overall strategy. Not a very desirable choice of words as Clearwire is due for another round of funding here by the end of the year. It is expected that Sprint will use over $1 Billion in cash to provide for this round of aid and debt obligations – however, with a disappointing network Sprint could very well use its cash to simply buy out the remainder of Clearwire’s ownership in the company. Dan Hesse himself, in a recent earnings call with Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citi Group and others is slow to add fuel to the speculative fire:

“I get a lot of questions about Clearwire and about Sprint’s network RFP. On the topic of Clearwire, we have an advantage in the aligned ownership interests we share with the cable partners, Intel and Google and we benefit from the many contributions they have brought to the table and we benefit from the resale of 4G services… As in the past, any strategic or funding decisions about Clearwire must be a collective decision among the strategic investors and the Clearwire Board. Beyond that, we are not going to comment on the ongoing media speculation.”

That’s CEO speak for “DROP IT, I’m not here to degrade Clearwire’s already poor stock position”. It makes no difference whether Clearwire decides to sell NOW or LATER, their position has been (from the beginning) to acquire as many customers as possible in an effort to be taken over by a carrier that doesn’t have its own spectrum (think Comcast OR of course Sprint). However the recent success in the new Clear markets should slow the speculation for now as Clearwire is on pace to hit corporate metrics and surpass 2 million customers by the close of business 2010.

… Read the rest

Best Buy the Latest Customer of Clearwire for Not So Dubious Reasons

Mikel Robinson on August 3, 2010

Just weeks after Best Buy announced that they would resell the Sprint 3G network under the “Best Buy Connect” brand, the company has announced that they will add a 4G tier, or even possibly 4G included with their USB devices and forthcoming mobile hotspots. According to Jed Stillman, VP of Best Buy Connect:

“This agreement paves the way to providing one-stop shopping and support for mobile broadband as more people become more connected across all kinds of devices,”

The truth is that this agreement comes in lieu of two simple facts:

· Best Buy Mobile is one of the most successful and disruptive forces in mobile phone retail

· Best Buy has been a KEY POINT OF DISTRIBUTION for CLEAR WiMAX.

In fact, the former of the two bullets is what no one is talking about, but is THE MOST OBVIOUS REASON for Best Buys new found commitment to the Sprint/Clearwire network. In each and every market that Clear launches, Best Buy stores that (before CLEAR) are already successful retail locations ALSO happen to be the best retail stores for CLEAR sales. All of the last year Clear has had their own corporate reps selling CLEAR WiMAX inside Best Buy to their customers – some Best Buy stores move anywhere between 250 and 300 CLEAR ACTIVATIONS A MONTH – ALL OF THEM TWO YEAR CONTRACTS!!! For any of you who know the revenue that Clear is paying (as I do) for these activations you know that CLEAR IS A CASH COW for best buy. Keep in mind that the COOL devices for Clear are just now starting to launch (MiFi’s etc). In essence, Best Buy smelled something cooking, and they ordered their own chef to whip up their own version of the same dish.

The news comes just in time for Clearwire, as they are teetering on the weight of their own debt, their own pressure, and ultimately their own deadlines. They have committed to having 140 million POPs covered time and again by the end of 2010, yet if you go to www.clear.com/imap they do not even have their TOP markets (New York, LA, San Fran, Miami, Denver, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati) listed as “future markets” which is most terrifically odd considering that those markets I listed would account for more than 35 million POPs by themselves. In addition, there is … Read the rest

The 4G Wrestling or the 4G Wedding?

Ilana Cohen Bengio on August 2, 2010

3G, implemented 4 years ago, has almost reached its saturation point, and thus the war among major U.S wireless carriers- Verizon, AT&T and Sprint- has begun. 2010 is a turning point in the telecommunication market and companies are trying to take over the 4th generation industry: 4G.
Consumers expect a high speed connection between 100Mb /s and 1Gb/s, contrary to 3G which does not exceed 14.4 Mb/s. Two technologies with this capability are in competition: WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) and LTE (Long Term Evolution).

LTE is considered by many to be the obvious successor to current-generation 3G technologies. LTE’s promise of high-speed, two-way wireless data promises an “all-IP” mode of communication in which voice calls are handled via VoIP. It’s also designed to handle video and to permit roaming through multiple systems–from cellular to Wi-Fi and satellite. The LTE solution is supported by AT&T and Verizon and should be implemented by the end of 2010. However, LTE still remains slower than Wimax and tests show that the infrastructure is not mature enough, and will need about 2 more years to be completely efficient.

The other technology called WiMAX, developed by Sprint and Clearwire is already available as a type of broad-base Wi-Fi. More than 450 tests are on-going to deliver high-speed connections to cell phones and landline devices in more than 135 countries like Kenya, Russia, Bulgaria, Netherlands, India, Denmark, Japan and the US. The Wimax advantages are threefold: it can be spread in remote areas such as emerging countries; the technology is operational and functions with any device integrated with a Wimax chip; and it solves roaming problems. Despite these advantages and the anticipation over 4G, Sprint and Clearwire are not leaders of the U.S wireless carriers market. Indeed, LTE has a better popularity rating than Wimax, and neither Sprint nor Clearwire has enough money to challenge Verizon and AT&T.

While US carriers wrestle with these options, one wonders if a marriage between the two technologies would be a better alternative. WiMAX, which is already available and updated, could be implemented initially, allowing time to improve the LTE infrastructure. Thus, consumers can experience the superior performance of LTE without losing connectivity in the mean time. Accordingly, it seems that WiMAX and LTE are more complementary than rivals.… Read the rest

Mobile WiMAX is Rapidly Gaining World-Wide Adoption

Sanjiv Gupta on August 2, 2010

These are exciting times for the world’s first wireless mobile broadband internet technology – Mobile WiMAX is rapidly gaining world-wide adoption with corresponding commercial rollouts: In recent news, Imagine acquires Clear’s Ireland operations, Reliance Infotel ltd. changes their mind and plans for Mobile WiMAX deployments in India, Clear plans several new markets inside the U.S. by the end of the year (with current standing of 21 states (50 cities)), Best Buy Connect in conjunction with Clear announces their official wholesale relationship to sell 4G Broadband Service in the U.S., and the WiMAX Forum announces WiMAX 16e Enhanced for further network optimizations. Moreover, the ITU ratified IEEE 802.16m is set to continue to advance this open-standard 4G Mobile Broadband Internet technology growth for the next several years to come.

In order to take advantage of the current proliferation of WiMAX – ready PCs (netbooks, notebooks) available online and in the retail channels, as well as be ready to intercept the near term launch of a variety of WiMAX-ready slate tablets and smartphones, a green field WiMAX operator needs to diligently perform early technology assessment between a whole host of these WiMAX enabled retail PCs, dongles, and CPEs within their own Mobile WiMAX network infrastructure (BS, ASN, CSN, etc.). Once the WiMAX Forum PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) requirements for the AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) server are satisfied, the green field operator can begin a first pass over-the-air network entry verification with subsequent DL/UL (downlink/uplink) speed testing. This first level assessment should bring a baseline confidence to the operator prior to a full-scale IOT (inter-operability) testing/optimization of the green field WiMAX network.

Let us do a quick review of a typical WiMAX network architecture: Essentially, the MS (member station)/SS (subscriber station) is on one side, and the BS (base station), ASN (Access Service Network) Gateway, CSN (Connectivity Service Network: HA(home agent), AAA, etc.) is on the other side. Please remember the following common interface terminologies: the air-interface between the MS to BS is termed R1, the interface between MS to CSN is R2, BS to ASN is R6, ASN to CSN is R3, ASN to another ASN is R4 and CSN to another operator’s CSN is R5. Next, we provide a simplistic summary of the network entry and initialization process: Phase a) the MS scans the DL channel and synchronizes with the BS, Phase b) transmit parameters are obtained, Phase c) … Read the rest

LTE vs. WIMAX: The Race to 4G

Paolo Cloma on July 28, 2010 | 6 comments

2010 marks a pivotal year for the telecommunications industry. Not only is it the beginning of a new decade, but it’s als o the beginning of a new era in terms of connecting to others. It’s a critical juncture of technology, it’s an evolution: the 4th generation. Competing companies such as Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T all have a role in producing this 4th generation. They have sunk massive amounts of commerce in the development of their own version of the technology but as of now, none of these companies are capable of producing the finalized product. Though each company has set their approximate nation-wide release year, which is 2013, as well as their estimation as to how many consumers will be connected to their 4G networks, roughly 100 million, none of the companies have commercially marketed their product to the public. There hasn’t been any newspaper articles or television commercials about the product, and trying to find information on their websites is pretty much a fool’s errand. It seems that the 4th generation of connectivity isn’t as ready as these companies portrait it to be.

Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint are the companies leading the way for this new product. They exude confidence during technology fairs concluding that the 4G revolution is upon us. They’ve developed products to help connect to the network such as portable modems, usb drives, and sim cards. They’ve even entitled their networks; Sprint’s being WIMAX (World-wide Interoperability for Microwave Access) while Verizon and AT&T’s shall be called LTE (Long Term Evolution). However, perhaps their confidence is missed guided and their promise of debuting in 2013 is unrealistic.

WIMAX developed by the Sprint and Clear companies respectively, seems to be losing ground in the United States amidst their attempt to bring WIMAX success domestically. Though they’ve raised 3.2 billion dollars in investments to produce the network, Sprint and Clear may have underestimated how expensive it is to blanket the country in connectivity. Sprint, the lesser of the three major telecommunications distributors in the country, may not have enough currency to continue production if the 3.2 billion isn’t enough, and investors Google, Time Warner, and Intel may grow weary of waiting and pull their investments early. Also those dependent on their WIMAX’s success is far less than those who are dependent on LTE”s success due to the fact that Verizon and AT&T are far larger companies. … Read the rest

Broadband: Back to the Future?

Craig Dingwall on July 26, 2010 | 5 comments

Last week we wrote the first of a series of articles about broadband deployment, and offered suggestions to help foster and develop rural broadband through stimulus and Universal Service funds, municipal broadband projects and competitive bidding. In this article, we review the current status of broadband deployment in light of the recent Comcast Decision and the FCC’s proposed National Broadband Plan.
In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress codified the FCC’s distinction between “telecommunications services” used to transmit information and “information services” that run over the network. The FCC later eliminated the regulatory asymmetry between cable companies and other broadband Internet service providers by extending the information service classification to broadband Internet services offered over DSL and other wireline facilities, power lines, and wireless. Today broadband Internet service may be offered as an information service subject to consumer protection, network reliability, and national security laws, rules and regulations, but largely exempt from Title II telecommunications service regulation.
Expressing its resolve to further broadband deployment, Congress recently passed
1) the 2008 Farm Bill directing the FCC to submit to Congress “a comprehensive rural broadband strategy,
2) the Broadband Data Improvement Act to improve data collection and “promote the deployment of affordable broadband services to all parts of the Nation”, and
3) the Recovery Act, which appropriated up to $7.2 billion for broadband services deployment, and required the FCC to develop the National Broadband Plan.

Earlier this year the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia vacated the FCC’s 2008 Order barring Comcast from interfering with its customers’ use of peer-to-peer networking applications. Comcast Corporation v. Federal Communications Commission, et. al., No. 08-1291 (D.C. Cir. April 6, 2010). The Court vacated the FCC’s Order because the FCC failed to tie its assertion of ancillary authority over Comcast’s Internet service to any “statutorily mandated responsibility . . .” Id. at 36. With this blow to the FCC’s authority to force Internet service providers to keep their networks open to all forms of content, the Comcast Decision raises serious questions about the FCC’s ability to regulate broadband.

Faced with the reality that approximately 100 million Americans do not have broadband at home, the FCC’s July 20th announcement that between 14 and 24 million Americans still lack access to broadband overall, and Congress’s mandate that the FCC ensure that every American has “access to broadband capability,” the FCC rolled out its proposed … Read the rest

Clearwire’s WiMAX: No, it’s not an Energy Drink, it’s Internet Connect

Paolo Cloma on July 22, 2010 | 2 comments

In the last decade, technological advances have become a necessity rather than a luxury for today’s American consumers and businesses. As a society we are always in demand of something new, something faster, something that will change our lives even if it means paying a little extra for the service. When turning on the television, commercials rule the airwaves using various techniques to coerce us into buying their product or at least implant a little annoying seed that unconsciously has us repeating the commercial slogan. An example of this would be the Optimum Triple Play Package advertisement, which uses corny rap and rock songs that are catchy, and I confess, are imbedded in my memory due to it’s continuous broadcasting during football games and practically all of television. Verizon and Apple use a compare and contrast technique, which subtly imply that they have a better product than their competing companies as seen from the “Can you Hear Me Now”, and the “Mac vs. P.C” commercials. These companies have been the pioneers of 21st century advertisement, and I’d bet money that most people have seen their commercials and/or own their product or service. With such marketing maneuvers it is no surprise that these companies are leading the industry with their respective product.

So with that said, has anyone ever heard of WiMAX or Clearwire? At first glance, it sounds like a bootleg version of Wi-Fi and water bottle brand, but it’s not, it’s an up and coming technology and company that will change the way the public connects to the internet. Want proof? Well how about 3.2 billion dollars of proof? Google, Time Warner Cable, and Intel have agreed to produce that amount in support of the Sprint’s Clearwire Company and the WiMAX product with hopes that it will unlock its 4G potential and make its mark on today’s market. WiMAX has the potential to cover entire cities with connections and works just like a portable modem, meaning you can be anywhere in the city and have access to the internet. WiMAX mean’s no restrictions; you can reconnect with society anywhere you go, it means you can say goodbye to hunting for coffee shops that have free internet access, or even paying 2.99 for three hours use of internet at Barnes and Nobles. WiMAX offers an option of a faster Internet with a stronger connection, so why in the world isn’t … Read the rest

Proxim Wireless Introduces New CPE Solutions for Carrier, Service Provider and WISP Markets

Robb Henshaw on July 21, 2010 | 2 comments

Silicon Valley, CA, July 20, 2010 – Proxim Wireless Corporation (OTCQX: PRXM), a leading provider of complete indoor and outdoor wireless broadband ecosystems, today announced its new Tsunami™ 8150-CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) series of products, designed to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of deploying wireless broadband service for carriers and service providers of all sizes. The 8150-CPE products leverage the same high-performance 4G technology utilized in Proxim’s Tsunami MP-8150 and QB-8150 line of products, and are designed to provide over 100 Mbps of performance. The new CPEs support 2×2 Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) and can be deployed in Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) situations, in both indoor and outdoor form factors, to enable quick installation even in hard to reach areas. The CPEs also support 256 bit AES encryption for high security applications. And at a list price of just $399, the 8150-CPE will enable service providers to deploy wireless networks that exceed the performance of Cable/DSL alternatives at a fraction of the cost previously possible, providing a quick Return on Investment (RoI).

“Just a few years ago, service providers would have paid many times the cost of the new 8150-CPE just to provide voice service. Today they can deploy broadband anywhere, and at an impulse-buy price,” said Craig Mathias, a Principal at the wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group. “The 8150-CPE extends an already industry-leading wireless broadband product line, addressing the global requirement to provide universal broadband connectivity cost-effectively. Proxim is building upon their years of experience in the carrier and service provider market and has introduced a product line that delivers what service providers everywhere are clamoring for.”

Better Performance, Reduced Cost and Time-to-Market for Service Providers

Consisting of both an outdoor and indoor form factor, the Tsunami 8150-CPE line of subscriber units is ideal for the carrier, service provider and WISP markets as it accelerates the service provider’s break-even point by reducing the cost of delivering service to users. Whether deploying large-scale wireless networks or rural broadband connectivity, Proxim’s 8150-CPE solutions deliver the following benefits:

Non-Line-of-Sight Operation

MIMO and advanced Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) greatly enhance NLOS performance, improving deployment in challenging areas.

Designed for quick, easy installation and compatible with all Tsunami MP-8100 products.

Reduced Cost of Deployment

Supports both licensed frequency and license-free frequency bands. Supports 2.3 – 2.5 GHz and 4.9 – 6.1 GHz to … Read the rest

Share Your CLEAR Service with a Cradlepoint 3G/4G Router

Michael Licata on July 6, 2010

WiMAX devices help drive the market and demand for the new 4G technology. There are many ways to share the 4G connection. It’s not all the WiMAX-enabled laptops, notebooks and handsets. The technology can be adapted all types of use, including inserting a USB modem into a mobile router. It provides a home connection using a home router that uses your CLEAR USB modem.

Cradlepoint makes some of the best 3G/4G routers on the market today. Their solutions allow mobile, home and office solutions. Users can bring their 4G connection home without having to pay more per month for the luxury of having WiMAX at home. The Cradlepoint MBR1000 provides an Ethernet connected solution with 3G/4G fail over should the Ethernet connection go away.

Users can plug in their 4G modem into the MBR1000 and will be connected to the WiMAX network through the USB connection. It provides an internet connection for up to 64 devices, perfect for a home or office connection. Connect your laptop and surf the fastest connection available. Your children’s iPod will be able to download the latest apps with the fastest connection available. A great solution to provide a connection includes the Cradlepoint MBR1200. It’s a more mobile solution than the MBR1000 and connects to data cards along with the 4G connection.

For emergency services and other mobile 4G applications, there are a selection of mobile routers from Cradlepoint. The CTR500 is as a great solution that connects up to 16 Wi-Fi enabled devices to a 4G connection using a USB modem. Users can tether their handset devices, like the HTC EVO 4G, the first WiMAX-enabled smart phone availabe in the U.S.

Cradlepoint updates its firmware to support the latest USB modems, including the U301 from Sprint. It’s the latest USB Modem from Sprint that connects to the WiMAX network. Cradlepoint makes some of the best 3G/4G routers on the market. There are many applications, from office, home and mobile Internet connections to the fastest wireless connection, 4G WiMAX.… Read the rest

Sprint Releases Samsung Epic Second 4G Smart Phone

Michael Licata on June 28, 2010 | 5 comments

Sprint and Samsung proudly release the newest 4G-enabled smart phone, the Samsung Epic. It’s Samsung’s first 4G Android-powered device.

“Sprint takes another leap forward today, announcing its second 4G-capable smartphone,” Steve Elfman, president, Network Operations and Wholesale, said, “Samsung Epic 4G joins a portfolio of powerful devices offering an unprecedented simplicity and value to our customers as the only national carrier with a 4G network and devices and applications that can leverage the increased data speeds to provide a high-def entertainment and business experience in the palm of your hand.”

The Samsung Epic 4G ushers in a new era of Samsung smart phones that offer their very best in screen, speed and content quality for an outstanding consumer experience. It offers a fully integrated-multimedia, messaging and social networking experience on your handset. It comes with a full QWERTY keyboard and 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen.

The Samsung Media Hub will provide Samsung Epic owners the opportunity to feature a video store with movies and TV shows for purchase or rental. The AllShare service allows for wireless storage of music, pictures and HD video to other DLNA certified home electronics, including HDTVs, monitors, digital cameras, printers and more.

It’s powered by Google’s Android 2.1 platform and is the only 4G phone with a full slide QWERTY keyboard, virtual keyboard and Skype technology. It allows users to text faster and more intuitively with one finger motion across the virtual keyboard. The gaming capabilities are second to none, with a six-axis sensor that interprets simple device movement, and the game responds when users move the phone.

The 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor supports great graphics and faster upload and download times. There are two cameras, including a forward facing camera designed for video chat. The other is a 5 megapixel camer with LED flash and digital zoom for HD video recording. The device also works as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot that connects up to five devices to Sprint’s 4G network.

The Samsung Social Hub is designed to integrate all the social networking platforms, messages and email accounts. In the future, the Samsung Epic 4G will be upgraded to Android 2.2. There isn’t a release date for the Samsung Epic 4G, but Sprint is allowing consumers to pre-register for the device.… Read the rest

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