The Android news this week isn’t all about the HTC Hero, although it feels that way. A rumor has appeared that has Sprint planning to release an Android phone this year or next that is CDMA/WiMAX-capable. This is certainly an interesting proposition but given the situation of the WiMAX rollout in the U. S., who cares?
WiMAX is one of those technologies that sounds so good on the surface that it’s easy to get excited about the thought of high-speed connectivity everywhere. The problem is the everywhere part, and that is killing off the enthusiasm quickly.
Sprint is one of the companies that has been pushing for a big WiMAX rollout, but let’s face it, it is as spotty as a dalmation at the firehouse.
I have corresponded with numerous folks who have jumped on the WiMAX train and signed up for service as soon as it was available in their area. One thing I hear from all of them is the sound of hopes dropping when they experience the reality of spotty service. I’ve heard many times that they see good bandwidth in one spot but travel a few blocks and it’s gone. I’m not a technical guru about WiMAX technology but it sure sounds iffy to me.
Take this latest example. William in Nevada sent me a long account of his recent foray into the exciting world of WiMAX. He signed up with great excitement about using WiMAX in his home and traveling around Las Vegas. The reality didn’t take long to set in, however. He found the signal was spotty in his home; he also finds service to be variable around Vegas:
At the Strip, the WiMax service is a mixed bag. Signal strength was good outside, but was occasionally blocked by a tall building. Inside, the signal was hit or miss. For example, in the Rio Resort and Casino, I had a decent connection when I stood within 30 feet of the glass doors, but lost the signal at 50 feet inside. Farther inside the resort, I found the signal again, but it was weak.
William’s account of his experience made it clear that he is the exact target that WiMAX service providers want to reach. He is very excited about the technology and is willing to make compromises to get it to work. In the end, however, he just couldn’t justify it:
I have enjoyed the ClearWire service, but I will probably cancel… The data services by ATT and Verizon are close to ubiquitous in populated areas. Guaranteed access is more important to me than sheer speed of connection when I’m on the go. WiMax (and other 4G technology like LTE) are very promising, but for the moment I’ll (reluctantly) stick to the phone carriers’ data service.
WiMAX proves the old real estate adage is also true for wireless coverage: location, location, location. For a technology that is based on the premise of widespread coverage, WiMAX still has a long way to go (and cover).
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