The official launch of the Sprint XOHM WiMAX network is scheduled for Oct. 8 in Baltimore, according to an invitation being sent to reporters this week. A source close to the partnership, however, says the network is already up and running.
Officially, the launch will be held at Bond Street Wharf Park in Baltimore on Oct. 8. Presentations by Dan Hesse, chief executive of Sprint Nextel, Barry West, chief technology officer and president of XOHM Sprint Nextel, and Sean Maloney, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Intel, are expected.
Although the network appears to have barely made its deadline of being up and running in October, the launch was delayed because of scheduling, to assure that all executives could make it, a source said, and to bypass the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur holidays.
"Yes, it's running -- and they keep testing it to make sure -- and the plan is to make a retail marketing/sales announcement some time next week that it's live and citizens can go and buy cards, et cetera," the source said.
XOHM looks to compete more with PC ISPs, offering laptops with integrated wireless and plug-in modem units, according to PC Magazine wireless analyst Sascha Segan. Speeds will be a little faster than 3G networks, something like 2-4 megabits downstream.
Pricing plans should be available next week.
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September 22, 2008 8:13 PM
How will they compete with traditional ISPs with such low bandwith speeds, and unless the entry price point is closer to traditional ISPs
September 22, 2008 9:01 PM
Albert,
You do realize that this will replace multiple products (and services)?
The cable/DSL modem at your home. The wireless router hooked up to it. The High speed internet service. The Air Card jutting from your laptop PCMCIA slot and 3G/CDMA service or Wi-Fi hotspot service?