Sprint, which owns 51% of WiMAX provider Clear, is rolling out their “4G” option as Clear expands their service. Clear said last week that it will cover 25 markets and over 30 million users by the end of this year. Those markets will likely offer a Sprint 3G/4G option, too.
Sprint is expected to track Clearwire’s launches closely with its own 3G-to-4G roaming service, observes Unstrung. Sprint is currently offering the 4G service in Portland, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Baltimore.
Sprint’s 4G/3G data plans will sell for $69.99 per month, $10 more than comparable 3G-only plans. The plan includes “unlimited” data, but Sprint doesn’t specify what “unlimited” means. Clear’s “unlimited” plan truly is unlimited.
I’m a Clear subscriber in Portland and subscribe to two truly unlimited 6 Mbps plans. I pay Clear $50/month for my unlimited 6 MBps residential service and got unlimited 6 MBps mobile service (via USB dongle) for only $5/month more during a promotion.
Sprint says that it will be unveiling more 4G devices in the coming months including a 4G only dongle, a smartphone, and other devices. Sprint will also be offering day passes for 4G services as well. A day pass sells for $10.
Comcast is reselling Clear’s WiMAX service, too.
Comcast bundles its WiMAX with its home cable TV, Internet and phone service. Comcast offers a 4G only dongle or a bundle with Sprint 3G.
- Comcast’s “Fast Pack Metro” uses Clearwire’s WiMAX network (in Portland) and costs $50 a month for mobile downloads up to 4 megabit per second. It is bundled with Comcast’s 12 mbps home service. Pricing is good for one year, after which the monthly bill rises to $73.
- “Fast Pack Nationwide” uses the dual-mode WiMAX/CDMA dongle. Service costs $70 a month, including Comcast’s home service, for the first year, after which the price rises to $93 a month. Sprint’s 3g/4G modem is free (with a two-year service contract) and $50 rebate. It delivers up to 5 gigabytes per month.
- Customers who subscribe to Comcast’s home phone, cable TV and Internet service can add WiMAX for $30 a month, or $50 for those who want the 3G/WiMAX combo service.
Sprint and Comcast both provide a dual-mode CDMA/WiMAX dongle that can automatically hand over to Sprint’s 3G network when WiMAX service is not available. Neither is currently offering a residential modem.
Related Dailywireless articles include; Clear Launches 10 New Markets, Doubles Upload Speed, Comcast & TWC Launch Mobile WiMAX, Clear Launches Mobile WiMAX in Las Vegas, Sprint Netbook: One Buck, Atlanta Gets Mobile WiMAX, Clearwire’s Launch Party in Portland, Clearwire Speedtest in Portland, Clearwire Launches in Portland, Oregon, Xohm Marks the Spot in Baltimore, and Clear & Cisco Team for National WiMAX Infrastructure.
