Clearwire, together with Comcast and Sprint Nextel, announced the expansion of its 4G WiMax network in the greater Washington, D.C., and Baltimore metro areas.
In Washington, the Clearwire network covers an estimated additional 288,067 people since the initial June 1, 2010, launch, with more than 2.81 million people now able to access the broadband wireless service in the market. Clearwire's Baltimore network added coverage for 37,420 people since last June to stand at 1.75 million people.
The announcements come a day after Sprint Nextel and Clearwire came to terms on a new long-term wholesale agreement, under which Sprint agreed to pay Clearwire at least $1 billion in 2011 and 2012 for 4G services. Sprint holds a 54% stake in Clearwire.
Comcast also is an investor in Clearwire along with Time Warner Cable, Bright House Network, Intel and Google. Comcast resells the 4G service -- and Sprint's 3G nationwide service -- on a wholesale basis, marketing the wireless data services as an extension of its core DOCSIS 3.0 wireline broadband service.
At the end of 2010, Clearwire had 4.4 million total subscribers, of which 3.3 million were wholesale subscribers through Sprint, Comcast, TWC and others. Kirkland, Wash.-based Clearwire operates 4G WiMax networks in the U.S. currently covering areas where 120 million people live.
In Washington, the companies said, enhanced capacity and expanded coverage can be experienced in the following communities: Washington, D.C.; Beltsville, Bethesda, Bowie, Camp Springs, Chillum, Clinton, Colesville, College Park, Friendly, Fort Washington, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Hillcrest Heights, Marlow Heights, Mitchellville, Oxon Hill-Glassmanor, Potomac, Silver Spring, South Laurel, Wheaton-Glenmont, Md.; and Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Franconia, Great Falls, Herndon, Merrifield, Mount Vernon, North Springfield, Oakton, Reston and Yorkshire, Va.
In Baltimore, the upgrades cover: parts of Baltimore, Dundalk, Columbia, Severna Park, Arbutus, Arnold, Severn, South Gate, Woodlawn and Perry Hall, Md.
Coverage maps of Clearwire's 4G network are available at www.clear.com/coverage. Additional information about Comcast's Xfinity Internet 2go, the operator's brand for 3G and 4G wireless data, is available at www.comcast.com/2go.
