Bringing together a major telecompetitor and a major electronics retailer, mobile broadband service provider Clearwire and Best Buy have teamed up. Offering 4G mobile broadband connectivity on an expanded selection of computing devices sold at its retail outlets, Best Buy Connect, the retailer’s new offering, “provides consumers with high-speed internet access on-the-go, with service activation, billing, hardware and connection support from Best Buy,” according to a news release.
“We’re finding that customers increasingly want choice in service providers for mobile broadband,” said Jed Stillman, vice president of Best Buy Connect. “Best Buy Connect is an end-to-end option that gives them the freedom to connect virtually, whenever or wherever, and the convenience of one point of contact – Best Buy – for selection and service.”
Best Buy Connect is offering unlimited 4G service for $45 per month with month-to-month or two-year contracts. Those who purchase the two-year contract can waive a $35 activation fee and receive up to $150 off select hardware devices.
Originally introduced in July last year, Best Buy Connect is available at “most Best Buy stores across the U.S.” The expanded offering including built-in 4G access through Clearwire is being made available on 23 computing models, including models from Asus, Dell, HP, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba.
“Best Buy is at the forefront of a growing number of businesses that recognize the value a true mobile broadband experience can deliver to their customers,” added Teresa Elder, president of strategic partnerships and wholesale for Clearwire. “Clearwire’s 4G mobile broadband network is uniquely positioned to serve the diverse demands of multiple industries today with a spectrum position capable of scaling for the demands of tomorrow.”
Clearwire is in the midst of transitioning their business model to exclusively wholesale access and abandoning their own retail aspirations.
