Sprint 4G Phones By Year End
Sprint has been busy this last week denying wide circulated reports that it will introduce a 4G phone before summer.
Although a Sprint executive reportedly told Forbes this week that the mobile company plans to introduce a 4G WiMAX phone by the summer, the official Sprint line now seems to be that it’s sticking to its earlier promise of phones by the end of the year.
Hmmm. Anyone else smell a fish?
4G WiMAX Coverage – Billion by end of 2011
The WiMAX Forum reports that 4G WiMAX technology is expected to extend coverage to one billion mobile phone users by the end of next year.
Even by the end of this year the WiMAX Forum says 4G WiMAX coverage should reach around 800 million phone users.
WiMAX technology is currently in use in 147 countries and is available to 620 million people. A further boost to the numbers will come this year when Clearwire and other US mobile phone companies launch 4G in large metro areas like New York, San Francisco and Houston.
Seven To Launch 4G in Perth
Australia’s Seven Network will launch its 4G phone network next month in Perth. The new service will be operated by seven’s subsidiary mobile phone company Vividwireless.
The Seven Network controls both the main TV station and newspaper in Perth making it an obvious city for it to launch a 4G network. The company says it has plans to rollout 4G in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Brisbane.
Clear 4G – Dual Mode WiMAX Smartphone Coming
Clear 4G is about to start selling what it says is the first dual mode 4G phone. No announcement has yet been made by Clear on an exact date for the phone release, other than “later this year”.
The new 4G phone will provide voice calls and data downloads of around five times as fast as a 3G phone, says Clear 4G.
Sprint Introduces 4G Modem for Mac
Sprint 4G customers will soon have access to a Mac friendly 4G modem. The U301 3G / 4G WiMax modem will bring the world of 4G internet to Apple Mac Snow Leopard users for the first time.
Inside Sprint 4G coverage areas users can expect speeds of 3-6 Mbps. Outside 4G areas, 3G speeds of around 0.6 – 1.4 Mbps can be expected. The Sprint U301 modem will be an upgrade of the current U300 which has been available to PC users for some time. Other features include a new sleek black design and a rotating USB connector for ease of use in cramped spaces.
4G WiMAX Phones in Stores in 2010
Clearwire has set itself a deadline of Christmas 2010 for selling WiMAX smartphones in the shops. But the mobile company has warned that it won’t subsidize the cost of new 4G WiMAX phones.
Likely initial retail cost to the poor phone user? Anywhere from $450 to $1000 says Clearwire.
Clearwire’s partner Sprint also plans to release dual mode 4G / 3G phones next year.
Clearwire 4G Live in North Carolina
Clearwire Communications has rolled out its Clear 4G service to North Carolina. The new mobile internet service is available in the Triad and Charlotte and Raleigh.
Clear 4G now covers about 2,000 square miles and 3 million potential mobile phone users in North Carolina using WiMAX technology that’s up to ten times faster than 3G.
Sprint 4G in Honolulu and Maui
Hot on the heels of its recent launch of Seattle 4G, Sprint has launched a 4G phone service in Hawaii for Honolulu and Maui.
General Manager of Spring Hawaii, Dale Goya, said, “We are excited that Oahu and Maui are included in the first wave of markets with Sprint 4G. Sprint is committed to continue investing in Hawaii and it is a great opportunity for customers in both Maui and Oahu who can now enjoy speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G and take advantage of many 4G devices as they roll out in the months ahead.”
Sprint 4G is currently available in 27 coverage areas.
