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Clearwire Expects to Serve 30-Million WiMAX Users by 2017

6:00 am on June 16, 2008 | Category: Business, Internet, WiMAX, Wireless Technology

Kirkland, Washington-based WiMAX internet provider, Clearwire, expects to have more 30 million customers and $17.5 billion in annual revenue by 2017, the company said in a webcast to investors late last week.

Clearwire’s WiMAX partnership with Sprint Nextel recently received financial backing from Google, Intel, Time Warner Cable, and other tech industry giants. The company currently offers wireless broadband service in 50 U.S. markets, using a pre-WiMAX technology, and plans to roll-out true WiMAX coverage by the end of this year, covering markets with as many as 80 million people by late 2009.

Unlike an earlier deal with Sprint Nextel, the most recent WiMAX partnership is “not a joint venture,” according to Sprint CEO, Dan Hesse. “It will be an independent company with an experienced, independent management team, and with strategic investors that have a tremendous incentive to see the new Clearwire succeed.”

Analysts expect to see Clearwire making a strong play for the 4G wireless market in the coming years, as it attempts to take advantage of WiMAX technology’s head start in the area. Leading American cell phone carriers, AT&T and Verizon Wireless, will likely introduce similar services using so called “Long Term Evolution” (LTE) networks within the next two to three years, but WiMAX is ready to go now.

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