Today, Sprint announced that its WiMAX, 4G network is officially open for business in six additional locales: New York; New York, Hartford; CT, New Haven; CT, New Brunswick; NJ, Trenton; NJ, and Tampa; FL.

“Sprint has provided customers with 4G service since 2008 and we’re proud to extend our leadership to six more cities today, including New York City,” said Sprint’s president of 4G, Matt Carter. “Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to make 4G a reality for our customers and with the addition of these six new markets we are now in 61 cities, including Chicago, Baltimore and Houston, and are growing. By the end of the year Sprint 4G plans to light up several major new markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Denver and Washington DC to name a few.”

If you’re in the Big Apple, or any of the other aforementioned markets, fire up your 4G device(s) and let us know what kind of speeds you’re seeing.

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CNN and other media outlets are reporting that U.S. wireless carrier Sprint has plans to launch its 4G, WiMax network in New York City on November 1 and in Los Angeles and San Francisco in early December. Sprint has been testing its next generation data network in both New York and L.A. for the last several months. Sprint currently has 54 U.S. cities covered in 4G and has publicly stated that they plan to cover 120 million Americans by the end of 2010. Evo and Epic owners in NYC, LA, and SF… rejoice!

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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that three sprint executives — Dan Hesse, Keith Cowan, and Steven Elfman — have resigned from WiMAX network-operator Clearwire’s board. Sprint informed the WSJ that they would appoint “independent successor directors” within the next few months; Sprint has named its general counsel, Charles Wunsch, as an observer in the meantime. Clearwire writes that the resignations are due to “recent changes in antitrust laws,” but also admit that the move could provide the company with “added flexibility” in pursuing additional funding. Sprint is the majority owner of Clearwire, holding a 54% position.

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Today, Sprint announced that Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania have been added to the company’s 4G city-portfolio. “Since 2008, Sprint has provided customers 4G service and we’re proud to extend our leadership to two more cities today,” said Sprint’s 4G president, Matt Carter. Sprint now has its 4G, WiMAX service deployed in 55 U.S. cities. If you are located in the Twin Cities or in The Steel City, let us know what kind of 4G speeds you’re seeing.

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According to an administrator on Sprint’s official forums, the company will be releasing a software update for the Epic 4G to address issues with data speeds being capped. The thread, titled “3G Upload Capped,”  has well over 500 replies. The administrator’s response is as follows:

Good news – an update will be released tomorrow 9/30.  It will be rolled out over a 4 day period so not everyone will get it on day 1.

I will have the standard MR information (fixes included, rollout schedule, etc) available tomorrow morning and will post it in a new featured thread.

Hopefully this will squash he data speed issue that Epic 4G users have been reporting.

[Via Engadget]

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Today, Gateway announced an update to its NV series of notebooks, the NV59C66u. As the press release explains, “Customers can pair the Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX hardware, and then choose a WiMAX service provider to connect to networks in a growing number of cities and metropolitan areas around the United States for a fast and reliable connection to the Internet.” The NV series of laptops are configurable with Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, AMD Athlon, or AMD Turion processors. The 4G integrated NV59C66u starts at $699 and is available immediately.

[Via SlashGear]

GATEWAY LAUNCHES NV59C66U NOTEBOOK WITH INTEGRATED WIMAX, NEW PREMIUM DESIGN

New model available now with WiMAX wireless connectivity and a deluxe look and feel; Entire line updated with latest performance technology at affordable prices

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 29, 2010 – Gateway today unveils the Gateway NV59C66u notebook, the newest model in its Gateway NV Series line of notebooks, which features integrated WiMAX capabilities, a premium chassis design and a robust configuration.

Customers can pair the Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX hardware, and then choose a WiMAX service provider to connect to networks in a growing number of cities and metropolitan areas around the United States for a fast and reliable connection to the Internet. WiMAX is the next-generation of wireless technology designed to enable pervasive, high-speed mobile Internet access at an affordabe cost, and is the first all-IP mobile Internet solution enabling efficient and scalable networks for data, video, and voice.. The WiMAX card in the Gateway NV59C66u is the Intel® 6250 wireless card, which provides a reliable connection to both WiMAX and Wi–Fi networks. As a result, customers using WiMAX on the Gateway NV59C66u will be able to connect while moving around their coverage area, making the notebook ideal for small business owners that move about a specific urban area, such as realtors and salespeople, as well as students and other tech-savvy individuals that want to remain connected.

“The availability of the Gateway NV59C66u comes at an opportune time for customers who want a consistently reliable and fast connection to the Internet through either WiMAX service, which is rolling out this year in more metropolitan areas or 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connections to hot spots and WiFi networks,” said Ray Sawall, senior product marketing manager for Gateway notebooks. “In addition, the performance, feature-set and affordability of notebooks have increased dramatically to make them an even more appealing option to customers who want an all-purpose PC – and that’s incredibly evident here in the entire Gateway NV Series and with the new Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX.”

Complementing the new WiMAX capabilities, the Gateway NV59C66u features a new design with an attractive tone-on tone patterned espresso chassis that is visually interesting and stylish. The metal chassis and palm rest both appear to be dramatically textured, but feel subtle and comfortable to the touch.

The Gateway NV59C66u will soon be followed by additional new models in the Gateway NV Series line that come in a range of configurations and prices to meet the needs of a different types of PC customers such as small businesses, families and students.

Latest Technology for Staying Productive and In Touch
With reliable and fast processing technology, the Gateway NV Series notebooks deliver tangible benefits to customers, including the ability to handle multiple applications at once. The Gateway NV Series feature Intel Core i3 and Core i5 as well as AMD Athlon and AMD Turion, processors, supported by up to 4GB of DDR3 memory that is upgradeable to 8GB. Ample storage space is available for with high-capacity hard drives ranging from 320GB to 500GB(1).

In addition to featuring an Intel Centrino Advanced-N+WiMAX 6250 WiMAX Wireless Card for a connection to WiMAX networks, the Gateway NV59C66u also has integrated 802.11b/g/n WiFi Certified connectivity for a convenient connection to hot spots and wireless networks, as do other models in the Gateway NV Series line. The integrated High Definition webcam allows web chats and video emails in incredible clarity thanks to its 1280×1024 resolution. Also, Gigabit Ethernet LAN connectivity ensures a fast wired online connection.

Visually complementing the performance technology in the Gateway NV Series’ is the High Definition LED-backlit TFT Widescreen display. Delivering crisp and clear video with vibrant color and detailed images, the Gateway NV Series have models in two sizes: The Gateway NV Series with a 15.6-inch display deliver 1366×768 resolution, while the Gateway NV Series with a large 17.1-inch display provide even more clarity with 1600×900 resolution. Customers who want to share video on the go can use the HDMI port to connect the Gateway NV Series to a home theater or external LCD to deliver crisp high-quality visuals and high-fidelity audio with a single cable.

Extra Features Make Life Easier
The Gateway NV59C66u and Gateway NV Series are complemented by extra features in the line that make it incredibly enjoyable and useful. Navigating websites, moving between documents and even inputting characters is incredibly enjoyable thanks to the notebooks’ multi-gesture touchpad, touchpad lock, and dedicated numeric keypad.

The Gateway NV Series comes with either DVD or Blu-Ray drives, giving customers a way to view the latest movies. Also, digital media can be downloaded to the notebooks through the media card reader and USB ports. Protecting media and other files on the PC is easy, since the Gateway NV Series includes MyBackup functionality that gives customers a way to quickly and easily back-up all important files to another location such as a USB drive or another hard drive.

Gateway’s popular “social networking” button is integrated into the NV Series, so customers can access their social networks, including Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, with a single touch of a button.

Gateway NV Series Availability, Price and Configuration
The Gateway NV Series will be available at retailers nationwide over the coming weeks at prices starting at $479.99. The Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX is priced at $699.99 and is available now.

Today, MetroPCS announced Dallas/Fort Worth as their second LTE, 4G market to go live. You may recall that the company announced the availability of LTE in Las Vegas, NV just several weeks ago. Currently, the pre-paid mobile carrier offers the Samsung Craft as their only 4G handset; the device retails for $299 with monthly plans costing $55. The company reiterated that their “4G LTE network rollouts in the remaining MetroPCS markets are planned for later this year and early 2011.”

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The people behind the nation’s first WiMax, 4G network, Clear, have sent a new home-router to the FCC for approval. The device, which — judging by the user manual — will be called the “Clear Modem with Wi-Fi,” will corral that sweet, sweet 4G signal (if available) and make it available to all your home devices via the 802.11 wireless standard. The router also appears to have an RJ11 phone jack on its posterior; indicating that their VoIP service could also be utilized on the device. Perhaps a little taste of the future of home broadband?

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Today, Sprint announced that Orlando, Florida became the fifty-third city added to its 4G location portfolio; Daytona Beach and Jacksonville also have Sprint 4G coverage in Florida. “We are continuing to deliver on our commitment to serve our customers by rolling out 4G in more cities in 2010. Customers in Florida are hungry for the power and speed that 4G provides and today they have it,” said Matt Carter, president of Sprint’s 4G service. Anyone down in the land of Mickey seeing the four-gees?

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Sprint just sent our a quick PR blast to inform us that Nashville, Tennessee has been added to the list of cities that are now blanketed in sweet, sweet 4G; Nashville becomes the fifty-second city to be bestowed with Sprint’s WiMax service. If you’re in the area, and rocking 4G capable Sprint device, let us know what kind of speeds you’re seeing.

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PCMag is reporting that wireless broadband company Clearwire is beginning to make 4G resources available to customers in New York City and Los Angeles. The report reads, “The company is giving selected “early adopters” dual-mode 3G/4G modems, but warning that 4G isn’t fully built out in either city. Early adopters who want to try Clearwire’s service will pay $35 for the first two months and $55 for each following month, with a two-year contract required.” Clearwire hasn’t stated when a fully built-out iteration of its 4G network will be available in NYC or LA, but the availability of WiMax spectrum can’t hurt the chances of it being sooner rather than later. The company also stated that: “During this construction phase, owners of CLEAR 4G devices may also experience 4G coverage while traveling to other cities that Clearwire plans to launch commercially later this year, including: San Francisco; Tampa, Miami, and Orlando, Fla.; Nashville, Denver, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburg.” Customarily, Sprint launches 4G service in a given area one to two months after Clearwire.

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Today, Sprint officially announced the additions of Boston, MA; Daytona Beach, FL; and Providence, RI to their list of cities officially blanketed in 4G covered. There isn’t really much else to say about it. Here is a quick statement from Sprint: “We are proud to be the leader in the race to 4G. Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to make 4G a reality for our customers. [...] we have been hearing from our customers in Boston, Providence and Daytona Beach that they want and need 4G service. Today, they have it.” If you are located in one of the three cities, fire up your Epic, EVO, or Overdrive and let us know what kind of speeds you’re seeing.

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Just a quick follow-up to a story we published on Friday. Clearwire has officially announced “the nation’s first pay-as-you-go 4G mobile broadband service for tech-savvy Gen Y customers.” The new, prepaid, cellular-data service offers customers daily, weekly, and monthly access rates; priced at $5, $20, and $50 respectively. Clearwire will provide this service on two new pieces of hardware, the Puck and the Stick. The Puck is a round, uh puck-like, mobile hotspot that can provide connectivity for eight Wi-Fi enabled devices on Clear’s 4G network. The Stick has a more familiar USB modem look to it and will get your laptop hooked up to the prepaid wireless fun without all that panache. The Puck will retail for $149.99 and the Stick will set you back $99.99. We’re loving the idea of prepaid 4G services, however the fact that both devices lack 3G radios — making your Puck and Stick useful in only 49 markets — is a slight cause for concern. We’ve got the full press release for you after the break.

Clearwire Introduces Rover: Instant Gratification to the Internet Addicted

KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug 30, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ:CLWR) today unveiled Rover(TM): the nation’s first pay-as-you-go 4G mobile broadband service for tech-savvy Gen Y customers. The Rover brand is designed for digitally addicted youth who refuse to settle for long-term contracts, overpriced internet service, or speeds slower than what they’ve become accustomed to at home.

Rover is available in all of Clearwire’s 49 4G markets across the U.S. at rover.com. Rover is also available at CLEAR stores, Best Buy stores and select independent wireless dealers in Houston and St. Louis.

“Simple, commitment-free wireless services are wildly popular with the Gen Y crowd, and Rover provides them with the first pay-as-you-go unlimited mobile internet offering at 4G speeds,” said Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer for Clearwire. “We’ve built Rover from the ground up with products, pricing and features designed specifically to serve a younger market who knows how you get connected is just as important as where. Expanding our offers to meet this underserved segment is an important new business opportunity for Clearwire as we continue to extend our leadership in mobile broadband.”

“The opportunity for pay-as-you-go mobile broadband should not be underestimated,” said Carrie MacGillvray, program manager and wireless analyst at IDC. “Prepaid – or pay-as-you-go – data provides an option for consumers to experiment with the power of mobile broadband without being saddled with a two-year commitment. A prepaid mobile broadband service can offer consumers the ability to access and share Internet service, at home or on the go, in an affordable way.”

PUCKS AND STICKS

Friends with Benefits

Rover’s flagship device is the Rover Puck: an ergonomically designed portable Wi-Fi hotspot that lets you share broadband access, or “Puck”, with up to eight devices at home, out on the town or nearly anywhere the feeling strikes you. The Rover Puck can easily slip into a purse or backpack and serve as an on-the-go broadband access point for devices such as laptops, netbooks, the iPad(TM), the iPod touch(R), smartphones, PSP(R) systems, game consoles, and Wi-Fi enabled digital cameras, among others. Users have the option to connect up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously.

The Rover Puck features mobile download speeds of three to six mbps, with bursts over 10 mbps (up to 4x faster than conventional 3G), using Clearwire’s 4G network. The Rover Puck is available today for $149.99 (plus tax).

Going Solo

The Rover Stick(TM) is a personal 4G USB modem that connects any notebook, laptop or desktop to the Rover 4G Service. The Rover Stick is compatible with MacBook(R) and MacBook(R) Pro laptops using Mac OS X, as well as netbooks and notebooks running Windows(R) XP, Windows Vista(R) and Windows(R) 7. Offering the same super-fast internet speed as the Rover Puck, the Rover Stick is available today for $99.99 (plus tax).

No Commitment Issues

New users receive two free days of service to ensure Rover’s metro-focused 4G coverage fits their mobile lifestyle. Rover has a 14-day no-hassle return policy for any device purchases made on rover.com or in CLEAR stores.

Rover is priced at $5/day, $20/week, or $50/month for unlimited 4G internet usage. Depending on the retail channel, customers will be able to purchase a Rover Re-Up PIN code or physical Rover Re-Up card in $20 or $50 denominations. Rover Re-Up is available online at rover.com, at all retail outlets carrying the Rover Puck or Rover Stick, as well as at Rover Re-Up specific retail locations. Rover does not require a credit card to activate service and is designed to bring broadband internet to a new audience.

GENERATION Y

The Rover brand is designed for a demographic that has grown up in a wireless world. They manage their life through the internet, and their devices signify status. Rover provides products and service to meet their need for all things internet.

“Rover’s target audience has never known life without internet. They love their devices and they want as much speed and capacity as possible, without the limits and commitments of most mobile options,” said Seth Cummings, GM, Rover. “Rover offers iconic devices along with straight-forward pricing, and plans where unlimited truly means unlimited. It is not in Rover’s DNA to be constraining, confusing or complex.”

MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Launch campaign

Rover’s initial communications will showcase the dramatic ways in which 4G mobile broadband can change human behavior in previously unimagined ways. More information is available at www.evology.com.

Life @ 4G

Rover.com invites users to experience “Life @ 4G.” Rover-sponsored athletes and music artists will be profiled, showing how Rover influences their careers and lives as they live Life @ 4G. Sporting a Rover wingsuit, base jumper JT Holmes, who travels up to 150 mph during freefall proximity flying, lives life with the Rover Puck and no strings attached.

Rover Activity Badges

Rover believes in loyalty, and will introduce a badging system that rewards users for participating in Rover activities. For example, the “Trendsetter” badge recognizes early adopters of Rover in each market, and the “Friends with Benefits” badge acknowledges users who refer friends to the Rover service. Badges have become wildly popular on location-based apps and are expected to resonate with the youth consumer and motivate usage.

THE BIG PICTURE

4G Network of Networks

Rover is the newest brand connected to the Clearwire 4G network, joining brands which include CLEAR(R), Sprint 4G, Comcast High-Speed 2Go, Time Warner Cable Roadrunner 4G, Best Buy Connect and Cbeyond. Today, the Clearwire 4G “network of networks” is available in select cities throughout the United States, where approximately 56 million people live.

Detailed coverage maps of service availability can be found at www.rover.com/coverage.

For press, broadcast and bloggers: Video footage can be linked from www.youtube.com/rover4g. Product and brand images and company logos can be downloaded from the Clearwire Newsroom at www.clearwire.com/newsroom. To subscribe to Rover RSS news feed, click here.

For more information about Rover, visit www.rover.com. Clearwire company information is available at http://www.clearwire.com.

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A recent SEC filing seems to indicate that WiMax provider Clearwire is planning a new, pay-as-you-go cellular data service. The filing reads, Clearwire “plans to serve a new pay-as-you-go customer segment.” It’s unclear exactly what Clearwire has planned — if anything — but analysts speculate the move was prompted by MetroPCS’ impending entry into the pre-paid 4G market place. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has said that his company has considered offering pre-paid 4G data services, but has yet to make a move; Sprint is the majority owner of Clearwire. Clearwire’s network is resold by Best Buy, Comcast, Sprint, and Time Warner; it is unclear how this move will affect the services offered by those companies.

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We were invited to sit down with Sprint to talk about the new Epic 4G, and we fielded some questions from you guys! Here’s the segment we did with David Owens, VP of Consumer marketing. So, HTC EVO 4G or the Epic 4G? Which one is it going to be?

P.S. Hopefully next time the aspect ratio won’t squish my head to make me look like a watermelon.