Clearwire has launched a WiMAX network in central Pennsylvania. People in Harrisburg, Reading, Lancaster and York will be able to access true high speed wireless broadband internet anywhere within the 4G network. Sprint will now offer services in the same coverage area in Pennsylvania.
The network covers 271 sq. miles and over 739,000 people. This is in addition to the 3.6 million people that already get CLEAR service in the Philadelphia area.
“We are excited about this day for two reasons: we believe that CLEAR is truly going to revolutionize the way folks in Central Pennsylvania access the Internet, and it’s personally gratifying to me given that Harrisburg is my hometown,” said Curtis Heffelfinger, general manager for CLEAR. “Customers can eat lunch on City Island while conducting a WebEx meeting and baseball fans can stream radio while tailgating in the parking lot before a Revolution game in York. We’re providing an Internet experience that is unmatched and we can’t wait for people in Central Pennsylvania to enjoy it.”
Sprint offers the same fast speeds that CLEAR service does, and it is offering a 30-day trial period, The Sprint Free Guarantee. Customers can try 4G for 30 days and if they are not satisfied, they can cancel service and have the opportunity to be fully reimbursed for all the fees. Sprint 4G users can select from a range of devices, including the Overdrive Mobile Hot Spot that allows up to 5 users to connect to the 4G speeds.
“We powered up 4G in south central Pennsylvania today, allowing commuters, time-stressed parents, gamers, teens or anyone the ability to make fast, mobile Internet connectivity portable and private,” said Karen Paletta, regional vice president, Sprint. “You no longer have to sit at a coffeehouse on an unsecure Wi-Fi connection to enjoy fast speeds on your laptop. With an Overdrive you can enjoy a true mobile broadband experience with any Wi-Fi-enabled device.”
One device that Sprint users in central Pennsylvania will be able to use soon is the HTC EVO 4G. It’s the first WiMAX-enabled phone available in the U.S. It will run on Google’s Android operating system. It has 3G fallback capability when it’s not being used in a 4G market.
CLEAR service offers some better packages for those looking for both a home and mobile WiMAX connection. The contracts may be purchased for either a month or daily use. Clearwire offers a range of both home modems, USB modems and their own mobile hot spot, the CLEAR Spot. Users have to pay the initial fee for the device, along with the monthly fee. They can get download speeds of 3-6Mbps, with as much as 10Mbps speed bursts, all done wirelessly.
Clearwire and Sprint now offer WiMAX 4G in 32 markets across the U.S. and will look to add many more in 2010. CLEAR service plans to be available to 120 million people by the end of this year. Clearwire is planning to launch markets in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Denver, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Kansas City by the end of 2010.
4G users can video conference their staff while enjoying a day in the park. Parents can keep their children entertained while driving by streaming Hulu without the constraints of 3G slower speeds. It’s great to see Clear expanding into more rural areas. It means that Clearwire is committed to making a nationwide WiMAX network a reality sooner rather than later.
