Though Ali Tabassi, Sprint’s vice president for technology development was recently quoted as (mockingly) branding LTE as an acronym for “Late To Evolve,” there is more to the relationship between LTE and WiMAX than the speed with which the technology evolves. True, WiMAX has arguably stood at an advantage to LTE due to the fact that it is poised to reach the market faster. However, at the same time some at ABI Research forecast that LTE will surpass WiMAX subscriber numbers by 2015 due, in part, to the fact that it has a stronger hold on global carriers. But is it really the inner workings of LTE and WiMAX as technologies that will determine their stronghold on the mobile community?

Gary Kim on TMCNet elaborates effectively on this recurring issue, making the point that the “battle” between LTE and WiMAX will not ultimately boil down to the merits of each technology, but rather to the success of the business models associated with either one. Successful business models would be inclusive of a wide range of devices while providing fast, cost-effective connectivity, among many other factors. This means that WiMAX needs to act now from a business angle in establishing itself as the next big thing in technology. WiMAX’s timetable advantage over LTE is not necessarily enough. Rather, a timely and business-savvy entrance into the market could mean all the difference for developments in the next five years.

Though there were echoes suggesting that Xohm would soft launch in Baltimore, Chicago and Washington, DC early this winter, these plans clearly did not materialize, leaving many wondering when this first big step for Xohm would come to fruition in the United States. As stated on a post on DailyTech, Sprint’s Vice President for Technology Development, Ali Tabassi, says that the time could be this spring.

This piece of information comes as a response to this past Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where products were enthusiastically displayed with some praises for the WiMAX and murmurs against LTE and competing technologies. Potential users in the United States, however, have yet to see WiMAX developments, making timing ever more crucial for Xohm. Tabassi already acknowledges that delays with Sprint mean that it will mostly likely not reach the hoped-for 100 million subscriber mark this year.

At the same time, though, there is plenty of behind the scenes development that could very well push Xohm ahead. Talks between Sprint and Clearwire are still reported to be near a close, with word of an additional $2 million investment from Intel and probably others. As the deal officially comes to a close the path ahead for Xohm should become clearer to investors and those interested in the progress of WiMAX.