Sprint employees finally test WiMAX

TAKING A PAGE from the DAMMIT Barcelona playbook, Sprint rolled out a very limited trial of its WiMax network in Chicago and Baltimore-Washington, D.C.

The limited trial will be restricted to Sprint employees only and the networks will stretch over only the central downtown business centres of the three cities involved. Sprint hasn't said what hardware its employees will use to access the network.

Sprint said it is still on track to make these test markets available to the general public some time in the first quarter of 2008, with the full commercial launch set for the second quarter of 2008. Sprint also will expand the coverage areas over time. The firm said it will use this trial to optimise the network

Several manufacturers, including Nokia and Samsung, have committed to delivering WiMax-enabled devices to Sprint. Is it possible they have made good on their promises with this trial?

Sprint has a lot riding on this trial. It has invested an incredible amount of time, money, and energy to make this moment a reality. Sprint's 4G road map depends on WiMax to work. If it doesn't, Sprint could be faced with making some serious strategic and financial decisions about adopting a different type of next-generation technology.

Intel over in Santa Clara must be watching the tea leaves over this limited trial working. Poor ole' Craig McCaw is watching his deal move along like a snail going uphill. While in San Diego, Qualcomm is jumping up and down because its stuff is already working. µ