(This article was originally posted on Broadband Wireless Internet Access / WiMAX News blog, permalink
http://www.bwianews.com/2002/10/clearwire_selec.html. A quick read will reveal that this announcement and analysis relates to the first Clearwire, not the resuscitated "Craig McCaw Clearwire" circa 2004. I include this article to illustrate that not only was there a Broadband Wireless Internet Access industry before Craig McCaw emerged with Clearwire to "legitimize" it, but that Clearwire itself predates McCaw.)
Clearwire Selects IPWireless Technology to Offer a New Breed of Innovative Broadband Services
Clearwire's Scheduled Deployment in Major U.S. City Is First Step to Nationwide Service, Building Further Momentum for IPWireless Everywhere Broadband
SAN BRUNO, Calif. and DALLAS, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- IPWireless, Inc. and Clearwire Technologies jointly announced today that Dallas-based Clearwire Technologies will deploy the IPWireless broadband everywhere technology. Clearwire's first deployment of the IPWireless technology, scheduled for a major U.S. city in the first quarter of 2003, will establish Clearwire as an industry leader, providing an innovative range of fixed and mobile broadband services. This announcement culminates a year of foundation building by Clearwire that included securing nationwide access to the licensed 2.5-GHz spectrum, successful entry into broadband wireless markets, and conducting extensive lab and field trials with a number of equipment vendors to determine the most efficient and cost-effective network infrastructure. With this announcement, IPWireless once again demonstrates it is the next-generation wireless broadband technology of choice, having recently been adopted by a number of international and domestic communications providers.
"Clearwire selected the IPWireless UMTS technology because it enables us to offer a portable and cost-effective broadband solution for businesses and consumers," said Clearwire President and COO Leo Cyr. "After evaluating the options in the industry today, we are confident that IPWireless stands out in introducing standards-compliant broadband technology that can be deployed across one of the largest 2.5-GHz networks in the country."
With a management team experienced in all aspects of the communications industry, Clearwire is positioned for rapid, profitable expansion into new, previously underserved markets. Using a single network, Clearwire will be able to offer fixed, portable and mobile high-speed Internet services throughout the coverage area and to a range of devices. The plug-and-play, pocket-sized IPWireless modem provides businesses, residents and visitors with Internet access anytime, anywhere within the extended coverage area. Over the next several years, Clearwire plans to expand its broadband service to additional cities by utilizing its access to one of the largest 2.5-GHz footprints in the country.
"Clearwire's choice of IPWireless technology for a major metropolitan deployment demonstrates the confidence IPWireless has inspired in its robust, reliable, everywhere broadband solution. This contract, along with several other recent endorsements of the IPWireless technology, brings the vision of a national deployment of IPWireless technology one step closer to reality," said Chris Gilbert, CEO, IPWireless. "Designed to offer businesses and consumers the most cost-effective, convenient, and widely available broadband in the world, IPWireless technology is paving the way for a new era in mobile broadband computing."
Next-Generation Wireless Network Paves the Way for a New Era of Mobile Computing
The IPWireless solution is the first total network solution on the market that complies with the internationally recognized UMTS TD-CDMA (TDD) standard. Available for operation in the 1.9-GHz and 2.5-GHz licensed bands (the UMTS unpaired allocations and the MMDS/MDS bands), the IPWireless product line includes a complete network infrastructure solution and pocket-sized wireless modems. The advanced non-line-of-sight capabilities eliminate the need for expensive truck rolls and the mounting of antennas or additional equipment at the customer premise. The IPWireless pocket-sized portable broadband modem allows residential and business customers instantaneous, "plug-and-play" Internet access. Additionally, the network solution's non-line-of-sight technology achieves in-building coverage and gives users the complete portability, mobility and freedom of a wireless Internet connection at higher speeds than alternative broadband offerings.
About Clearwire Technologies
Clearwire Technologies provides wireless high-speed Internet and data services to business and residential customers. Utilizing proven and secure wireless technologies in the licensed 2.5-GHz spectrum band, Clearwire delivers reliable, cost-effective services with a simple, customer-friendly installation process. Through a relationship with the ITFS Spectrum Development Alliance, Clearwire has access to one of the largest licensed 2.5-GHz wireless footprints in the United States. With recent funding events and a management team experienced in all aspects of the communications industry, Clearwire is positioned for rapid, profitable expansion into new, previously underserved markets. Clearwire is headquartered in Dallas and is a Wireless Communications Association International (http://www.wcai.com/) board member. For more information, please visit Clearwire's Web site at http://www.clearwire.com/.
About IPWireless
IPWireless, Inc. offers a groundbreaking, global standards-based
broadband wireless technology solution that enables service providers
to offer true high-speed mobile wireless Internet access to worldwide
consumer and business markets. The IPWireless solution is in commercial
deployment around the world by operators looking to deliver the most
cost-effective, convenient, and widely available broadband that will
deliver two-way data transmission speeds of up to 9 Mbps, mobility,
affordability, and ubiquity of coverage superior to any broadband
alternative -- including DSL or cable modems. Founded in April 1999,
IPWireless is led by a world-class management team of seasoned
entrepreneurs and technology and marketing executives from leading
mobile and communication companies including Cisco, Lucent, Motorola,
and Qualcomm. The company, backed by over $120 million in funding from
leading venture capital firms, is headquartered in San Bruno, Calif.,
with R&D and sales facilities based in the U.K. For more
information about IPWireless, visit the company's Web site at http://www.ipwireless.com/
Commentary
Clearwire's selection of IPWireless is the latest in a string of
encouraging developments for the BWIA industry, and one of the few
bright spots in the Telecom industry. BWIA service providers and
vendors are winning new business because BWIA systems can meet emerging
requirements for new broadband services quickly, efficiently, and
cost-effectively (novel concepts for the Telecom industry of late).
Some related news from a few "next generation" system vendors:
- August, 2002 - annoucement of Flarion Technologies
partnering with Northrup Grumman for a proposed Mobile Broadband
Wireless Internet Access system the US Government, operated in USG
spectrum
- August, 2002 - announcement of Verizon beginning a trial of BeamReach Networks BeamPlex system in Northern Virginia
- August, 2002 - announcement of Broadstorm Telecommunications beginning commercial deployment of its Broad@ir system with Global Wireless Satellite Networks / Alantra Venture Corp. in British Columbia
- June, 2002 - announcement of SOMA Networks Atmosphere system being selected by Always On Network in Oregon
- June, 2002 - announcement of general availability of Navini Networks Ripwave, and market trials by Sprint and other service providers
- June, 2002 - announcement of the formation of a consortium to develop a Mobile Broadband Wireless Internet Access system in Australia based on ArrayComm iBurst technology
- April, 2002 - announcement of MVS Comunicaciones selection of NextNet Wireless Expedience system for deployment in three major Mexican cities
What's remarkable about these eight vendors listed above is that they're all relatively new companies, all offer systems purpose-built for providing cost-effective, easy-to-deploy Broadband Internet Access. Many offer integral voice capability and portability / mobility. For most of these companies, these are announcements are some of their first major placements. This is in addition to very well-established BWIA companies such as Alvarion, AirSpan Networks, Proxim (merged with Western Multiplex and others), and Aperto Networks. Taken together, there is a very encouraging pattern emerging - that Broadband Wireless Internet Access technology, products, and vendors are poised to provide Broadband Internet Access services for the next surge of growth.
Steve Stroh
Copyright © 2002-2004, 2007 by Steve Stroh. This article originally appeared on my original Broadband Wireless Internet Access Weblog hosted on Radio Userland.