It’s official.  Sprint Nextel has launched its first WiMAX network – in Baltimore, MD.  

 This heavily anticipated network roll-out is just the beginning. According to a USA Today article by Leslie Cauley, voice services will eventually be added and “WiMax networks are under construction in Washington, D.C.; Portland, Ore.; Philadelphia; Dallas/Fort Worth; and Chicago. All are scheduled to be ready by early next year. By the end of 2009, 60 million to 80 million consumers are expected to have access to WiMax. By 2011, 200 million will, the companies (Sprint and Clearwire) predict.”

200 million by 2011 – that’s pretty impressive. It also begs the question - how many will have access to an LTE network by then? A Baltimore Sun article reports LTE is still at least two years away from consumer deployment.

In a Wall Street Journal article by Don Clark, an AT&T spokesperson claims the company will adopt LTE in three years.

So while AT&T and Verizon spend the next 2-3 years preparing their LTE networks, consumers will be taking advantage of all that WiMAX has to offer. So go ahead AT&T and Verizon, take your time!

No matter which technology you’re rooting for, I think we can all agree it’s a great day for WiMAX!

Thanks,

Jeff

PS - I am in Chicago for WiMAX World and Telephony LIVE this week. I’ll be speaking on panels at both conferences, and wanted to pass along the info in case anyone plans to attend and wants to say hello.

Event Details:

Telephony Live:

Panel: “The Service Provider of Tomorrow”
When: September 30, 2008; 10:15 a.m. CDT
Where: Embassy Suites Downtown -Lakefront, 511 N Columbus Drive, Chicago, IL

WiMAX World: