Would Clearwire drop WiMax?

[Nitrousoxide]

Clearwire Could Ditch WiMAX For LTE Before Even Giving It A Real Chance - WiMax - Gizmodo

And since Cleariwre is owned by Sprint you can expect Sprint to be doing the same thing. This would mean that the EVO 4g's support will dwindle to nothing as they stop building out WiMax infrastructure and actually convert the existing infrastructure to support LTE.

With that in mind, I'm really worried about the viability of the EVO. If Sprint stops building out their WiMax network in favor of LTE than the main selling point of this phone becomes moot.

What do you guys think? Would I be better off going with the Incredible and just dong an upgrade in a year when their LTE phones are out and their network is online, or should I take a risk on the EVO that might end up not having a 4g network to support it a year from now.

 

[xorg]

Not 'likely', they just have the option. Fail on that title (you need to edit it as you exaggerated significantly). They have enough spectrum to offer both. Sprint/Clear has over 100Mhz per market for 4G, which can be divided. ATT/Verizon only have about 25Mhz per market for LTE.

If Clear starts LTE, it will probably be at least a couple years after seeing how LTE market shakes out.

 

[xorg]

We as consumers should want WiMAX to succeed since it is tied into IEEE as is WiFi, which the consumer electronics industry is tied into. LTE is controlled by 3GGP, the telcom industry.

If WiMAX fails and LTE is only option, the telcom companies will have complete control of consumer devices that connect.

ATT/Verizon want WiMAX to fail because they can't control it.

 

[jib]

LTE is a superior technology and will be the world standard. Sprint and Clear will be screwed on roaming agreements for 4G if they stay with WiMax and try to build out their native networks. That is unless there are chips in phones that support Wi Max and LTE for roaming interoperability.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

LTE is a superior technology and will be the world standard. Sprint and Clear will be screwed on roaming agreements for 4G if they stay with WiMax and try to build out their native networks. That is unless there are chips in phones that support Wi Max and LTE for roaming interoperability.

From what I've gathered, the technologies are similar enough that a firmware upgrade may be all that is necessary to switch from WiMax to LTE. Considering Sprint has a big jump over VZW and ATT, I'm not really worried as there is no way they can catch up in the remaining year of my contract, right? If I jump ship from the Hero and adopt the Evo and pay out of pocket, I'll be able to use WiMax for the next year without worries of LTE taking over. As of right now, WiMax has greater support, even outside the US (Europe and Asia both use WiMax over LTE currently).

 

[xorg]

LTE is a superior technology and will be the world standard. Sprint and Clear will be screwed on roaming agreements for 4G if they stay with WiMax and try to build out their native networks. That is unless there are chips in phones that support Wi Max and LTE for roaming interoperability.

Don't embarrass yourself, LTE and WiMAX are essentially the same technology, just different protocols at the top layer, of which neither is superior.

LTE is being deployed on about dozen bands around the world. Roaming won't be that easy anyway. WiMAX is being deployed on about 6 bands around the world, so would be easier to roam on.

While WiMAX may fail, it would not be good for consumers if LTE dominates. It means the telcom industry will control what devices are allowed on 4G. WiMAX is less restrictive, more similar to WiFi

 

[Complex Pants]

Also, remember how easy it is to install WiMAX 4G into existing tower sites. WiMAX could explode across the country and it would be adopted because it is there. Better technology does not mean that it will be the successful technology. Look at the old Betamax vs VHS tech battle.

 

[xorg]

Clear sticking with WiMAX til at least 2012.

Clearwire: No LTE switch until 2012 at the earliest - FierceWireless

My guess is that Clear will ADD LTE, not switch, unless WiMAX fails globally as well. There is already significant global WiMAX presence so it would make sense for US to have presence as well.

Clear has enough spectrum to do both. And if Sprint would just drop iDen (nextel) in 800Mhz space, they'd even have more spectrum with better penetration.

They can co-exist just as cable/dsl does. The cable companies want WiMAX since they can't have access to LTE. Consumer electronic devices would want WiMAX cause they don't have to get approval from telcom companies. We as consumers should want WiMAX.

Verizon/ATT want WiMAX to fail because they can't control it. Oddly, telcom company fanbois worship the word of carriers rather than understand consumer impact. It's almost as bad as Apple followers allowing Apple to control the content they access.