Comments on: A Cool Clearwire Billion

By: Mapping LTE’s Assault on Global 4G Domination

Mapping LTE’s Assault on Global 4G Domination — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:54:49 +0000

[...] it produces wireless chips that can be embedded into notebooks for mobile broadband service. The company has invested several billion dollars in the technology since 2006, but just dropped another $1.4 billion to purchase Infineon this week. The Infineon acquisition is, [...]

By: Intel Commits to Wireless Broadband in Any Flavor - GigaOM

Intel Commits to Wireless Broadband in Any Flavor - GigaOM — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:11:21 +0000

[...] its Moorsetown chipsets slated to hit mobile Internet devices in 2010. Coming from a firm that has spent billions pushing WiMAX, the news reads like an admission of doubt for the nascent 4G wireless broadband network build out [...]

By: Om Malik

Om Malik — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 21:01:25 +0000

Okay Jesse if you are right, then its blue label for you. you might have to fly out to california. by the way where is charlie sierra. man we are missing his insights.

By: Jesse Kopelman

Jesse Kopelman — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 21:04:45 +0000

Jerry, those McCaw guys generally all left AT&T Wireless and went to work for Nextel (and thus now work at Sprint). I don't see the incestuous cycle being broken.

An interesting thing I noticed now that the FCC has made it easier to see who EBS (former ITFS) spectrum is being leased to is that Clearwire is picking up relatively small pockets of spectrum in the same markets that Sprint has vast holdings and is likely to offer service. Does Clearwire really intend to go head to head or is this just some leverage to force better roaming terms and the eventual Sprint buyout (McCaw always has selling the company as his long-term strategy)?

Om, you still owe me Blue Label. How'd I get downgraded to beer?

By: Matt Liotta

Matt Liotta — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 20:08:29 +0000

Clearwire’s service is not a mobile service currently. Could they upgrade to mobile WiMAX? Sure, but how much will that cost? Why not buy 3G service from Sprint now and get mobile WiMAX later?

For more information on Clearwire’s CPE device, see the following URL:
http://www.nextnetwireless.com/assets/specsheets/RSUrev7.pdf

By: Ron Smith

Ron Smith — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 19:37:18 +0000

This will not compete with DSL/fixed wireless services. Consider it as a $24.99 service given to your laptop through a PCMCIA card. Currently I pay $39 to T-Mobile just to get connection in Starbucks. I would be more than happy to get a area-wide coverage and still keep my DSL for home.

By: Parkite

Parkite — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 18:54:25 +0000

I am with Matt on this. I don't see where the subs come from in large enough numbers to justify the investment given the footprint of DSL and Cable. They have a business in underserved rural areas, but many of the rural LECs in these areas have been very aggressive w/DSL knowing they have a virtual monopoly. Plus, they don't have any ability (yet) to bundle voice and TV.

By: Mobile.LA

Mobile.LA — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:25:52 +0000

I really like seeing the money being poured into the wireless sector. Once people begin to see the potential of accessing the Internet via their mobile, they'll dive in given the right price point. The risk for these companies is having their infrastructure become obsolete before it leaves the launching pad.

By: Matt Liotta

Matt Liotta — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:36:22 +0000

Where are the subscribers going to come from? Its not like people are going to switch off their much faster DSL or cable service in favor of wireless just because. Underserved areas obviously exist and wireless fits well, but why are these area underserved in the first place? The CAPEX for wireless may be better than competing technologies in rural markets, but there is still CAPEX and there has to be a large enough market opportuntity. One billion dollars is a large investment to pay back.

By: Jerry Grasso

Jerry Grasso — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:46:14 +0000

And, AT&T (now Cingular) was also a buyer of Mr. McCaw's business! I'm sure he has a few opportunities to go in that direction too…not just Sprint's way (as Jesse Kopelman states)…

By: One Man & His Blog

One Man & His Blog — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 11:11:16 +0000

a blog for mobile workers…

Web Worker Daily is an interesting new blog from the GigaOm stable, aimed squarely at people for whom their laptop and mobile phone are more the office than the physical building with that name. I'm a great fan of the concept of mobile working (as op…

By: Eddie

Eddie — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 08:12:17 +0000

Om,

I am very curious about something.

First of all, you have to really hand it to McCaw for re-inventing himself. This guy is amazing!

Secondly, whatever happened to the McCaw / Gates joint venture in the sky once known as Teledesic? Remember that everyone was getting hyper about seven years ago about Teledesic low orbiting high power satellites? We don't hear anything about Teledesic anymore but I thought for sure that McCaw was in on that gig.