wireless, Internet, deals

Clearwire Finally Inks WiMax Deal

Wade Roush 12/1/08

Since May, Kirkland, WA-based Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWRD) and Overland Park, KS-based Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) have been working to combine their next-generation wireless Internet access businesses, and the two companies finally completed the deal on Friday. Using a $3.2 billion venture investment from Comcast, Intel, Time Warner Cable, Google and Bright House Networks, the new company, to retain the name Clearwire, plans to upgrade the 46 markets where Clearwire already offers wireless data services to WiMax-based systems under the “Clear” brand, replacing the “XOHM” brand Sprint Nextel has been using in Baltimore and other test locations.

Wade Roush is Xconomy's chief correspondent. You can e-mail him at wroush@xconomy.com, call him at (617) 252-7323, or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/wroush.