Where’s WiMAX?
With rumors of a Sprint-bound tri-mode CDMA/WiFi/WiMAX handset gaining traction, we thought it might be a good time to talk about what is as opposed to what could be. Sure, a tri-mode handset would be amazing but without official word from Sprint it’s still just speculation. 3G is so 2000 and late, Sprint is the only carrier with a live 4G network here in the US… So what’s up? Hit the jump for a full assessment of where Sprint 4G is at right now and where it’s confirmed to be going in the near future.
The following markets are live or will be live before 2009 is out, according to Sprint (alphabetical order):
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Chicago
- Charlotte
- Dallas/Ft. Worth
- Honolulu
- Las Vegas
- Philadelphia
- Portland
- Seattle
At least the following markets will launch in 2010, according to Sprint:
- New York
- Boston
- Washington, DC
- Houston
- San Francisco Bay Area
As far as hardware goes, the dual mode U300 is currently available and it supports both 3G and 4G. Other devices Sprint has stated will reach market throughout 2009 and 2010 include a single-mode 4G data card, embedded laptops, “Small-office-home-office devices”, 4G personal hotspot devices and a 4G phone. In other words, things have most definitely been slow going but Sprint finally appears to be kicking things into high gear. In fact, the company is poised to have a substantial 4G network in place with a respectable portfolio of devices before the competition even gets its feet off the ground. 4G personal hotspot? Yes, please.
4g pre this time next year…just like their pals at apple.
Why isn’t L.A. or San Diego on the list? There is over 10 million people between those cities!
Sprint is 2000 and late. Even when rolling out 4G services, their telecom sucks period. CDMA phones are wack. Pre is not 4G, seen so many /b/tards post that here and there, and why bother with a carrier like Sprit who is their way out the door? Fuck them, fuck their services. If they can’t have quality phones like, the Bold, or iPhone, what use is having Sprint for? Nothing. Fuck you Sprint. 10 years of good for nothing high way robbery, with no reception in my bathroom, as I type this on my Bold. FUCK YOU!
I used to have Sprint and while not perfect it was head and shoulders ahead of ATT in terms of network quality. Speed, reliability, voice quality, all were better. While their customer service leaves something to be desired that can easily be avoided by NOT CALLING them for every little thing.
No SIM, sucks. Lack of decent/cool phones, sucks.
But then comes the Pre. If Sprint really wanted to jump start 4G they would have had Palm put a WIMAX chip in that thing and really lit up the spec sheet. I am sure there were battery concerns, network concerns and costs concerns but I think a 4G Pre would have been KILLER!
“Where’s Wally? Nice pic BGR.
Sent via BlackBerry.
@jazzyl iT’s waldO, not wally. URggg!!!
You know, I’ve NEVER had a problem with Sprint. AND it’s the cheapest out there ($99 for unlimited EVERYTHING for Blackberry?!?! NOBODY is that cheap!)!!! So if i’ve never had problems, and it’s cheap, why would I go anywhere else and pay more?? silly really.
@grr: It actually is Where’s Wally? in its original (British) version. It was retitled for the US and Canada.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where’s_Waldo
Note that you are redirected, and note the title of the article (and maybe even…read it?).
FAIL
I think in europe and asia the development of wimax would be canceled because GSM organisation would not accept the market of wimax. And gsm vendors tend to develop LTE instead of wimax. Another factor : wimax is cheaper because it can cover a huge city with only one or two BTS, so government won’t have to waste the budget for installation, as opposed to the GSM which needs to replace each BTS with higher frequency. GSM thinks less installations = less projects = less money. That’s why all vendors is trying to lock out wimax market in europe and Asia .
jabroni, your assessment is how old? That ATT Bold might get better coverage in your area but other places where it’s like that are few and far between, not to mention the added cost of messaging and anything else. Brigning it back to 4G, your that don’t like it should stay away and wait for your prospective carrier to launch
You are correct…most people dont. I switched to a GSM carrier because I believe handset manufacturers will implement hardware to sell to the largest marketable area possible– and since most countries implement GSM, that means more device choices for me.
Great news. The Sprint 3G network is amazing here in Chicago. Far better than ATT and a good deal better than VZW.
In fact, 4G has been live here for many months though still in an official test mode. If you have a WiMAX device though it works right now!
I can’t wait for a Wimax Instinct……
not
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Dayton United States
One last thing boys and girls….Your cable companies will become MVNOs on top this infrastructure. Considering their significant content libraries and established penetration in consumer VoIP services, “the big boys” (that’s funny….big by what measure ?) are/should not taking this lightly. I know that Comcast has been building a rather considerable IMS infrastructure for the last 3 years and is extending it for their business services market as we speak. There is a reason VzW and T are doing everything they can to make their 3G offering sticky with app stores and contracts. Mark my words this time next year the wireless marketplace will look very different.
Don’t you want to enlighten the people to where those Blue Ray LTE cities are and what devices are going to be used
Since everyone seems like want to complain about Sprint, I will at least offer a tiny review of Xohm. I’ve used it in DC although it’s not technically available…if you have a Xohm device you can jump on the network without any issues.
I’ve used both the Zyxel home modem and a Nokia N810 Wimax Edition and they both worked pretty well.
With the home modem I got about 5mbps down and 1.2 up which is pretty good. Not as good as cable modem, but Xohm is also alot cheaper.
The one gripe I had is that the Zyxel modem forces you to do NAT, meaning that hooking a router up is possible but addressing anything behind the router (like a SLingbox) becomes very confusing…double NATting is a tough thing to make work correctly.
Once they replace the home modem with a better model or at least fix the NAT issue, I will get rid of Comcast.
And for everyone bashing Sprint’s network, please stay away because their 3G network is amazingly stable and big. Bashing Sprint is now like bashing Microsoft. People who never used Vista bashed it and now people who’ve never been Sprint customers are putting in their worthless two cents.
I think some of you guys are mistaking a lack of interest in wimax with Sprint bashing.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with Sprint. They seem to have a strong network, and like it or not, CDMA in the US is a lot better than GSM for making and receiving phone calls.
The problem with this whole Sprint/WiMax thing is that Sprint has gone against the grain. They are one of the weakest carriers in the states (as far as subscribers go) and they’ve chosen a technology for their 4G network that no one else is adopting. The fact is, they’re going it alone with 4G, and because of that, they’ll never have things like roaming on the 4G network.
Being the only carrier supporting a technology is never a good thing, especially when the two carriers who are already pounding the crap out of you are going to be using the same technology, which will only allow them to keep growing, and piggy-backing off of each others networks.
@Nate:
Most of what is going on in this post is Sprint bashing.
I agree that Wimax may not have been the best choice for Sprint, but at least it’s available now and is a viable replacement for home broadband. I don’t think that’s the market that Sprint was going for, but it’s there.
That said, I hope no one actually believes AT&T or Verizon that they’ll begin an LTE rollout next year. My rule of thumb is to add 2 years to any network enhancement announcements, which I learned when working for one of the major telecom equipment vendors. That’s just AT&T and Verizon wanting to stay in the 4G news cycle. They’ll eventually upgrade but it won’t be 2010.
@ Don Louie Cantone Said:
“JJ is the new backbeat w/o the cuss words, still can’t face the fact this will be here in more places”
You are clearly obsessed with “backbeat”, think about that!
Let People express their thoughts, without some absurd, back handed comment, you have called others “backbeat” before, as far back as 8 months ago, on other web sites, that is clearly not a healthy pattern, seriously!
@J,
Thank you, for your informative feedback, on your Wimax experience!
I live in L.A., obviously there is no mention of it,no where in sight!
Due to “Tier 2″ tease,I have been waiting for several years, for this service, so I can give up my “Fair& Flexible 700″, and after 3 years upgrade my phone with something more exciting.
Maybe it is time to even consider the Apple iPhoneV3, in black and rubberized!
After over eleven years, and the “Everything Plan” enforcement pattern,I am tired of the “waiting game” of the so called “NOW Network”!
Thank You!
@JJ
Personally, I don’t have much of an issue with the current 3G tech, and I don’t have a problem just waiting to see how 4G shakes out. I will say, considering how much of the spectrum Verizon owns, I’d have a tough time betting against them.
Sorry. That last comment was directed at J, not JJ.
LTE is a proof of concept at this point it has yet to be rolled out on large scale around the world. Where as wimax networks already exist on a large scale roll out. Not to say LTE is not going to work. My hope is that one of the carriers wimax or other wise will do the right thing roll these networks out to rural areas as well.
F1, the way he follows the Sprint articles just to throw mud is what that meant , I should’ve said he reminds me of him/her but oh well. Are the same person on phonenews?
Sprint is publicly pushing WiMax but considering LTE. Too early for a phone to be decided upon. Pls tell me if you think I’m wrong.
I do, seeing as it’ll take years to decide a clear winner and it may not be one, so a phone will need to be out before then