Sprint: New Year, New WiMax Push
Jan 10, 2008
Sprint took advantage of the crowds, and the press, gathered at CES this week to send the message that its committment to WiMax is alive and well. Despite rumors, and analyst rumblings, to the contrary.
The telco had announced in 2006 that it would spend in excess of $3 billion over several years to build out a WiMax network that reached greater distances, was faster and cost less to use than 3G wireless networks. Then-CEO Gary Forsee had high hopes for Sprint's investment in WiMax, believing that it would give rise to a new class of wireless devices and services. When Sprint ended its WiMax partnership with Clearwire late last year, and Forsee left the company, everyone (including its own execs) seemed uncertain about what would be next.
Fast forward to CES this week.
Sprint has been talking up, and showing off, its WiMax plans at the Las Vegas tradeshow. Known as XOHM, the service is being tested in a handful of cities now and is supposed to debut "in select" areas by April. According to Computerworld, XOHM's president Barry West said, "We are exactly where we said we'd be." He added that the company might seek other investors to defray costs, but that "Sprint will still be the major owner [of XOHM] in any scenario."
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