Full Speed Ahead for Clearwire and WiMAX

With the approval from shareholders now behind them, Clearwire is set to embarq on an historic journey to build a national footprint of 4G mobile Internet in the U.S., potentially creating a new formidable competitor for both wireless and wireline broadband. All regulatory and business structure hurdles have been removed, and Clearwire and Sprint can now combine their WiMAX business units into one. They aim to formally close the transaction by the end of the year. “With an unmatched spectrum portfolio, a next generation all IP network, an ever-expanding ecosystem of mobile 4G devices, and the backing of some of the most innovative communications, entertainment and technology companies in the world, Clearwire is ready to redefine mobile Internet services in the U.S.,” said Benjamin Wolf , CEO of Clearwire, in a company statement.

Now it’s time to perform. Talk is cheap in these competitive times. Clearwire has some huge challenges ahead of them. Building the type of network they aim to do has never been done on a nationwide scale. Among the successes they will surely exploit, there will be bumps in the road, missed expectations, and a huge amount of skepticism to overcome. Are they up to the challenge?