Sprint Spending Big on WiMAX Network

Charging ahead into the evolving WiMAX market is Sprint, targeting billions for construction of a coast-to-coast IP-based long-range wireless network that can reach 100 million people, with a target completion date of December 2008.

Samsung will make two versions of PC cards for the proposed giant network, one that is WiMAX only and one that will run EV-DO as well.

Among the cities listed in the Sprint networking plan are Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. That list continues to grow.

Traditionally, WiMAX is seen as a wireless technology that offers a much wider coverage area than traditional Wi-Fi. Once all of the aforementioned cities’ networks are up and running, the breadth of Sprint’s coverage should be significant.

Not every wireless device is set up to access WiMAX, of course. Older technologies and even some emerging ones are built to Wi-Fi standards. Configuring (or reconfiguring, as the case may be) them will take time but is undoubtedly a hurdle that Sprint wants to clear.