Craig McCaw launches national wireless broadband service, from http://www.fiercewireless.com:
Entrepreneur Craig McCaw is launching a nationwide wireless broadband service to compete with cable and DSL. His company, Clearwire, plans to offer wireless Internet access to consumers in about 20 markets over the next year. Clearwire is not aiming to offer broadband in rural, underserved areas, but rather compete head to head with cable and DSL in well-served areas. Clearwire is using OFDM, a version of which is also being tested by Nextel Communications to provide mobile wireless broadband services. Clearwire's service would offer speeds in a range of 1.5 to 2 Mbps, a bit faster than home DSL or cable modems, and much faster than wireless services to be offered by Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS. The new network's technology will be compatible with WiMax. McCaw made a splash in the early 1980s when he became the first person to build out a national cellular network. He sold that business in 1994 to AT&T for $11.5 billion and later founded XO Communications, which filed for bankruptcy-court protection in 2002. Analysis: McCaw bought Texas-based Clearwire, which controlled some ITFS spectrum -- ideal for broadband wireless. He then acquired gear maker NextNet (NextNet was noted in the mid-1990s, a time of great interest in MMDS; McCaw was an investor in the company). NextNet is a member of the WiMax Forum and says it plans to build WiMax equipment, but Steve Stroh argues that McCaw is likely to use NextNet's proprietary gear to get a jump on the market. Clearwire will be an alternative to cell-based data networks and fixed-location -- and even citywide WiFi. For more on Clearwire's venture: - see James Drucker's report: http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB108613344367926390-H9jg4NjlaZ3nJuvZ oCGbqeDm4,00.html - Carlo Longino's story: http://www.thefeature.com/article?articleid=100698 - an early report by Steve Stroh on McCaw's methodical approach to his new venture: http://www.corante.com/bwia/archives/003417.html - Glenn Fleishmann's commentary: http://wifinetnews.com/archives/003406.html - and Clearwire's Web site: http://www.clearwire.com ------------------------ Frank Keeney Pasadena Networks, LLC http://www.wlanparts.com Co-Founder, Southern California Wireless User Group: http://www.socalwug.org IM: Yahoo: wlanparts, AIM: wlanparts, MSN: frank at pasadena.net VOIP: Skype: wlanparts, FWD: 289372
