|
NewsGlobe: Today's News
Sprint Nextel Outlines Plans for EV-DO, WiMAX, and Cable
Company Building A Hybrid Device For iDEN and CDMA
by Jim Barthold
Sprint Nextel will move ahead to upgrade its EV-DO Rev. A
network including building a hybrid device for integrated
Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN) and CDMA traffic and
continue to focus on a fixed-mobile convergence-centric
(FMC) joint venture with cable operators this year. Beyond
that, the carrier will move ahead as quickly as possible on a
mobile WiMAX play beginning in 2008.
During a conference call outlining generally positive fourth
quarter results, Sprint Nextel executives made it clear that
broadband in all its iterations – including as part of the long
distance business – is the carrier’s going-forward focus.
“We are rapidly deploying the fastest and broadest
broadband network (and) we’re making considerable progress
on our WiMAX plan and we continue realize significant merger
synergies (with Nextel),” said Gary Forsee, chairman-CEO of
Sprint Nextel.
A first step in this process, he said, is integrating Sprint’s
CDMA-based network with Nextel’s iDEN push-to-talk gear.
This, he said, is being accomplished via PowerSource phones
being built by Motorola and by refocusing its distribution
channels on a business model that includes Nextel as well as
Sprint gear.
“A vast majority of our dealers are enthused beyond any
point we’ve seen them for a vast number of quarters,” Forsee
said. They are especially excited about the potential for
PowerSource phones and “that only gets better as we move
into the later stages of the first quarter and second quarter
with EV-DO available PowerSource devices,” he continued.
Sprint Nextel, too, is showing continued enthusiasm for its
joint venture (JV) with the cable industry that is expected to
blend the carrier’s mobile resources with the broadband
content and capabilities of cable providers, including a fixed-
mobile convergence (FMC) play.
“Initial product development for video, e-mail, portal, voice
mail and handset integration is on schedule and we’ve
completed the very important steps of linking our billing and
service platforms,” Forsee said. “Additionally, development
continues on automation and new products that will be
launched during the course of 2007.”
The first six commercial markets have been launched and
more than 30 are planned for the year, Forsee said.
WiMAX, where Sprint has announced both initial markets –
Baltimore-Washington, D.C. and Chicago – and a bevy of
vendors, ID on schedule for 2008, he said, with the first
WiMAX-enabled devices being more conventional laptop
computers and PDAs and mobile phones entering the
business a little later.
WiMAX progress is dependent on technology but “we’ve seen
significant progress on devices and chipsets,” he said
Forsee cited work being done by Intel in multi-band chipsets;
Samsung with both devices and plans to enter the chipset
space; and Motorola and Nokia for next-generation devices
as well as that “LG Electronics is committed to develop
multimedia devices to work on Sprint’s WiMAX network (so)
you can see significant progress under way on many fronts.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, Forsee said that Sprint Nextel would
continue to emphasize its long distance business a key
component of its broadband play and as a fundamental piece
of its IP strategy with enterprise customers as they move
from ATM and frame relay networks to IP and MPLS.
“The underpinning of that is that long distance network,” he
said. “It is core to our strategy.”
|
