Chicago and Washington D.C. Slated for Sprint Nextel WiMAX Network

Sprint Nextel intends to launch Mobile WiMAX broadband services in initial markets by year-end 2007, including Chicago and Washington D.C. with a larger roll-out encompassing at least 100 million people by year-end 2008. "We enter 2007, the year of our history-making WiMAX service launch, as the broadband mobility leader," remarked Barry West, president, 4G Mobile Broadband. "Our next generation network plans have catalyzed the industry, and momentum behind our mobility vision grows with increasing technology adoption."

Sprint Nextel last August announced WiMAX IEEE802.16e-2005 as its next generation mobile technology platform and formed an infrastructure development ecosystem with charter partners Intel Corporation, Samsung and Motorola. They plan on using a chipset embedding strategy in new and conventional devices to support rapid market adoption and pervasive access of WiMAX mobility technology. As a result, Sprint Nextel customers will experience a new mobile data network designed to offer faster speeds, lower costs, greater convenience and enhanced multimedia service quality.

Sprint Nextel will work with WiMAX ecosystem partners and others to incorporate WiMAX technology in a range of computing, portable multi- media, interactive and other consumer electronic devices. The intent is to wirelessly enable the multitude of stand-alone consumer electronic devices that currently lack connectivity or Internet access, thereby facilitating digital life amid a new era of user-generated content.