Clearwire Debuts WiMax In AtlantaClearwire Debuts WiMax In Atlanta

Clearwire Communications launched its third citywide mobile WiMax deployment amid signs it is accelerating the rollout and footprint of the high speed wide area wireless technology.

Covering 1,200 square miles, the Atlanta deployment covers an area nearly twice as large as its first two deployments: Baltimore, Maryland and Portland, Oregon.

Clearwire said its CLEAR service offers speeds comparable with speeds typically experienced on fixed residential and commercial connections like DSL. The Atlanta network utilizes equipment provided by Motorola.

The end-to-end Motorola environment begins with customer level gear including the firm's CPE1 150 desk top device that automatically connects to the WiMax network and the firm's USBw wireless 100 adaptor modem that plugs into laptops. Both data-only devices operate in the 2.5GHz frequency band.

In addition, the more than 400 cell sites in the Atlanta deployment use Motorola WAP 400 and WAP 450 Diversity Access Point products. Motorola noted that it has also been supplying Clearwire with its pre-WiMax Expedience devices and infrastructure.

"Clearwire customers in Atlanta now can enjoy high-speed broadband access in their homes or offices, or stay connected with their laptops while on the go," said Fred Wright, Motorola senior vice president, Home & Networks Mobility unit. Cisco is also a major supplier of infrastructure equipment for Clearwire.

Clearwire -- 51% owned by Sprint Nextel -- plans to roll out service this summer in Las Vegas and Chicago with service in Philadelphia and Dallas/Fort Worth to follow soon thereafter. Other cities in the pipeline for service include Charlotte, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Honolulu.

Clearwire CEO William Morrow has said the company plans to cover as many as 120 million people and 80 cities by the end of 2010.

In its last financial report, Clearwire said it has 500,000 subscribers. A company spokesman said the vast majority are pre-WiMax subscribers.

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