Sprint on Thursday announced the first markets that will be upgraded with 4G LTE service this year. The company’s LTE network will launch in the first half of this year in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, CEO Dan Hesse revealed during a talk at the Citigroup Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference. Hesse also said that Sprint would be upgrading its 3G coverage in those markets at the same time. Sprint was the first carrier in the United States to deploy a 4G network, but it opted to use WiMAX technology rather than LTE. In the fall of 2011, however, Sprint announced that the company would convert to a single-network architecture, moving away from CDMA and WiMAX as it rolls out its LTE network. Rather than abandoning the company’s old technology, Sprint inked a deal with Clearwire to continue supporting WiMAX through 2015. Sprint’s full press release follows below.

Sprint Announces First Major Markets to Receive 4G LTE in 2012

Customers in Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio are expected to enjoy ultra-fast service and an improved 3G wireless experience before middle of year

SAN FRANCISCO (BUSINESS WIRE), January 05, 2012 – Sprint (NYSE: S) CEO Dan Hesse announced today at the annual Citigroup Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference that customers in Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio are expected to be among the first to benefit from 4G LTE and improved 3G coverage in the first half of 2012.

The launch of these metropolitan areas marks the next step in the company’s overall network strategy, also known as Network Vision. Sprint customers can expect to enjoy ultra-fast data speeds, improved 3G voice and data quality, and stronger in-building signal penetration providing a more reliable wireless experience. Whether a Sprint customer is on a smartphone streaming video, browsing the Web with a mobile hotspot, or making a voice call to someone across the country, everyone¹ in the upgraded areas is expected to benefit from the advanced 3G/4G LTE network.

“Within the first half of 2012, Sprint customers should experience first-hand the wide-reaching improvements we have made in terms of boosting voice and data quality,” said Bob Azzi, senior vice president – Network, Sprint. “With advanced smartphones and sophisticated wireless modems, our customers are using more and more mobile data, and one of our top priorities is to provide the best technology possible to improve our customers’ experience.”

Sprint’s Network Vision platform involves the deployment of multimode base stations across many of Sprint’s cell sites throughout the country. As base stations are deployed, customers will notice immediate improvements in voice quality, signal density and data speeds. The first completed deployment of a multimode base station was in Branchburg, N.J., in December 2011. As additional areas receive 3G enhancements and 4G LTE service, announcements will be made.

Another component of Sprint’s network strategy has been the deployment of Sprint^® Direct Connect^® on the CDMA network. Sprint’s legacy in push-to-talk leadership continues with new CDMA devices that launched in September, 2011. More CDMA push-to-talk devices will be announced in the coming months.

Sprint has been an innovator with 4G since first launching the technology in 2008. Sprint has launched more than 25 4G-enabled smartphones, USB connection cards, notebook/netbook products, mobile hotspots and routers. Sprint offers a proven, reliable 4G experience for millions of customers compared to other national wireless carriers. Additionally, Sprint is a leader in value, with Sprint Everything plans with Any Mobile, Anytime^SM, including unlimited data, texting and calling to and from any mobile phone in America while on the Sprint network. With Sprint’s unlimited data plans, customers don’t have to worry about throttling or data overage charges on their monthly bill as they might with tiered data plans from other carriers.

Clearwire announced recently that it has garnered another $734 million in funding after closing its public offering of Class A common stock at $2.00 per share. The public offering earned Clearwire $384.1 million after commissions, and it pulled in an additional $331.4 million selling Class B shares to Sprint. ”This equity raise is a critical step for Clearwire to achieve its long-term business plan of creating the first wide-channel TDD-LTE 4G network in the U.S.,” president and CEO of Clearwire Erik Prusch said. “The added resources will enable us to continue delivering 4G mobile broadband service to meet the rapidly growing demand in the industry. We remain ideally and uniquely positioned to serve both wholesale and retail customers well into the future.” Read on for more.

Clearwire said it plans to use the new capital for “general corporate and working capital purposes, including the deployment of mobile 4G LTE technology alongside the mobile 4G WiMAX technology currently on its network, and for the operation and maintenance of its networks, and to pay fees and expenses associated with this offering.”

Sprint and Clearwire entered into a 4G WiMAX and LTE agreement on December 1st in which Clearwire could earn as much as $1.6 billion over the next four years selling its services to Sprint.

CLEARWIRE ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF TRANSACTIONS TOTALING $734 MILLION IN GROSS PROCEEDS

• Public Equity Offering Raises Gross Proceeds of $402.5 Million
• Clearwire Receives Additional $331.4 Million in Net Proceeds from Sprint Exercise of Preemptive Right
• New Capital Positions Company to Create Nation’s First Wide-Channel TDD-LTE 4G Network

BELLEVUE, Wash., Dec. 13, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) –  Clearwire Corporation (Nasdaq:CLWR) (“Clearwire”) announced today that it has closed its public offering (the “offering”) of 201,250,000 shares of Class A common stock at $2.00 per share originally announced on December 5, 2011, comprised of 175,000,000 shares of Class A common stock initially offered and an additional 26,250,000 shares of Class A common stock sold pursuant to the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option. The successful offering will provide Clearwire with net proceeds of $384.1 million, after underwriters’ discounts and commissions.

In addition, Sprint has exercised its preemptive rights to purchase 173,635,000 shares of Class B Common Stock and a corresponding number of Class B units in Clearwire Communications LLC, which will provide Clearwire with an additional $331.4 million in net proceeds. The total net new capital available to Clearwire following today’s closings is $715.5 million.

“This equity raise is a critical step for Clearwire to achieve its long-term business plan of creating the first wide-channel TDD-LTE 4G network in the U.S.,” said Erik Prusch, president and CEO of Clearwire. “The added resources will enable us to continue delivering 4G mobile broadband service to meet the rapidly growing demand in the industry. We remain ideally and uniquely positioned to serve both wholesale and retail customers well into the future.”

On December 1, 2011, Clearwire and Sprint announced agreements whereby, among other things, Sprint committed to provide additional equity funding to Clearwire in connection with a public offering meeting certain requirements. Today’s exercise of preemptive rights by Sprint satisfies its commitment.

Clearwire plans to use the net proceeds for general corporate and working capital purposes, including the deployment of mobile 4G LTE technology alongside the mobile 4G WiMAX technology currently on its network, and for the operation and maintenance of its networks, and to pay fees and expenses associated with this offering.

J.P. Morgan, BofA Merrill Lynch and Jefferies acted as joint book-running managers for this offering.

 

Sprint and Clearwire on Thursday announced a new 4G LTE and WiMAX agreement that will extend over the next few years. The agreement could be worth up to $1.6 billion over the next four years for Clearwire, which it will earn selling its services to Sprint. “These agreements are a result of the technical MOU we outlined during our third quarter results call and extend our relationship with Clearwire,” Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said. “It provides Sprint improved pricing, allows us to continue to provide WiMAX 4G services to our customers today and to new customers in the future and provides additional LTE capacity to help complement our Network Vision strategy and meet our customers’ growing data demands.” Read on for more.

Sprint said it will pay Clearwire $926 million for unlimited 4G WiMAX access through 2012 and 2013, and that about a third of that payment will be made in 2012. The agreement also guarantees Sprint access to Clearwire‘s WiMAX network through 2015, which means Sprint customers who purchase WiMAX handsets in 2012 will not have to worry about losing 4G service throughout the life of their device.

Sprint will pay Clearwire “up to” an additional $350 million over two years for access to Clearwire‘s LTE capacity provided that Clearwire meets certain build-out deadlines by June 2013. The carrier also committed to providing Clearwire with up to an additional $347 million if the company raises between $400 million and $700 million as part of a new equity offering. The full press release from Clearwire follows below.

Sprint and Clearwire Announce New Agreements

• Offers Clearwire Up to $1.6 Billion in Conditional Aggregate Revenues and Funding
  
• Clearwire to Receive Total of $926 Million From Sprint for Unlimited 4G WiMAX Services in 2012 and 2013; WiMAX Network to Operate Through at Least 2015
  
• Sprint to Provide Support for Future LTE Services
  
• Companies Agree on Parameters for Additional Sprint Equity Investment
  
• Clearwire to Pay $237 Million Total Interest for First-Priority, Second-Priority and Exchangeable Notes as Scheduled

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and BELLEVUE, Wash., Dec. 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and Clearwire (Nasdaq:CLWR) today announced agreements potentially worth up to $1.6 billion over the next four years in payments for WiMAX services, possible pre-payments for LTE services and potential equity investments. The agreements further align Clearwire‘s LTE network build as a complement to Sprint’s Network Vision strategy.

Also today, Clearwire announced that it has made interest payments totaling $237 million on its first-priority, second-priority and exchangeable notes which were due Dec. 1, 2011.

“These agreements are a result of the technical MOU we outlined during our third quarter results call and extend our relationship with Clearwire,” said Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO. “It provides Sprint improved pricing, allows us to continue to provide WiMAX 4G services to our customers today and to new customers in the future and provides additional LTE capacity to help complement our Network Vision strategy and meet our customers’ growing data demands.”

“Today’s announcement further cements the mutually beneficial relationship between our two companies,” said Erik Prusch, president and CEO of Clearwire. “It is an important step toward meeting Clearwire‘s key goals of extending our current 4G network arrangement, securing a commitment to our future LTE Advanced-ready network, and funding the business. We continue to move closer to realizing the full value of our deep spectrum resources as we are uniquely positioned to meet the rapidly growing demand for 4G mobile broadband.”

Wholesale Pricing and 4G Availability

The agreements modify prior wholesale pricing agreements and provide Sprint with unlimited access to Clearwire‘s WiMAX network to meet its growing 4G data demands. Under the terms of the agreements, Sprint will pay Clearwire a total of $926 million, approximately two-thirds of which will be paid in 2012, for unlimited 4G WiMAX retail services during 2012 and 2013, subject to certain conditions. The agreements also establish long-term usage-based pricing for WiMAX services in 2014 and beyond. Sprint will have access to Clearwire‘s WiMAX network through at least 2015. Sprint plans to continue selling WiMAX devices with two-year contracts through at least 2012 and support those devices through the life of the contract.

In addition, the agreement contains separate, competitive pricing for re-wholesaling by Sprint that provides flexibility for Sprint to grow its 4G WiMAX wholesale business while at the same time providing Clearwire increased pricing flexibility that should allow Clearwire to grow its wholesale markets and attract new customers.

TDD-LTE Collaboration

The agreements also lay the foundation for the deployment of Clearwire‘s planned LTE Advanced-ready overlay network and outline the terms for Sprint to gain access to the additional LTE capacity. The TDD-LTE rollout will capitalize on Clearwire‘s deep spectrum resources to deliver on 4G capacity needs over the long-term. Under the terms, Sprint will pay Clearwire up to $350 million in a series of prepayments over a period of up to two years for LTE capacity if Clearwire achieves certain build-out targets and network specifications by June 2013. The agreements also establish long-term usage-based pricing for LTE services for 2012 and beyond. The companies have agreed to collaborate on a network build plan and will jointly select LTE macro-cell sites to cover Sprint’s high usage area “hotspots.”  Clearwire plans to seek additional funding before initiating the build-out of its LTE Advanced-ready network.

In addition, Clearwire and Sprint will work collaboratively to support the ecosystem for TDD-LTE in Band Class 41 for devices, chipsets and standards. Subject to the timing of the build-out and other factors, Sprint expects to launch devices including laptop cards and phones that will utilize Clearwire‘s TDD-LTE network in 2013.

Equity Investment

Sprint has committed to providing additional equity funding to Clearwire in the event of an equity offering. If Clearwire raises new equity between $400 and $700 million, Sprint will participate in the offering on a pro rata basis up to $347 million, consistent with Sprint’s current voting interest of 49.6 percent on the same terms and conditions as other participating companies.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 53 million customers at the end of 3Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

Sprint announced on Friday that it will offer new notes due in 2018 and 2021, the proceeds of which may be used in part to finance Clearwire’s build-out of a 4G LTE network. “The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, redemptions or service requirements of outstanding debt, network expansion and modernization and potential funding of Clearwire Corporation, and its subsidiary, Clearwire Communications LLC,” Sprint said in a press release. The news follows Sprint’s analyst day on October 7th, where executives from the nation’s No. 3 carrier distanced themselves from Clearwire despite owning a controlling stake in the company, and announced plans to spend $10 billion building out their own 4G LTE network. It is unclear how today’s news will impact those plans. Clearwire announced in August that it hoped to adopt LTE technology across its network, but it also said it would need outside funding in order to do so. Sprint’s full press release follows below.

Sprint Announces Private Placement of Notes

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), November 04, 2011 – Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) announced today that it plans to offer notes due 2021 (the “2021 Notes”) and notes due 2018 (the “2018 Notes” and, together with the 2021 Notes, the “Notes”) in a private transaction that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act.”) The 2018 Notes will be guaranteed by the company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries that guarantee its existing credit agreements.

The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, redemptions or service requirements of outstanding debt, network expansion and modernization and potential funding of Clearwire Corporation, and its subsidiary, Clearwire Communications LLC.

The Notes and the guarantees related to the 2018 Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Act or the securities laws of any other place and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption therefrom. The Notes will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to persons outside the United States under Regulation S.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This notice is being issued pursuant to, and, in accordance with, Rule 135c under the Act.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this news release regarding Sprint Nextel’s current expectations and beliefs as to the consummation of the offering of Notes and uses of proceeds thereof, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management’s judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. All information set forth in this release is as of Nov. 4, 2011. Sprint Nextel does not intend, and undertakes no duty, to update this information to reflect future events or circumstances. Information about certain potential factors that could affect our business and financial results and cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements are included from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Part II, Item 1A “Risk Factors” of our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2011.

Sprint and Clearwire are close to inking a deal that will extend an existing network-sharing agreement an additional 3-5 years, Bloomberg Businessweek said Friday. The current agreement will terminate at the end of 2012. Allegedly, the deal is not final and could still fall through. If it is finalized, Sprint is poised to pay less for access to Clearwire’s network than it currently does. Clearwire has been seeking additional funding to help it build out a 4G LTE network, which is expected to cost $600 million, but Sprint will not provide any of the financing. “This would likely help [Clearwire] get funding, because it would provide increased visibility into revenue-getting opportunities and reduce the risk profile,” Mizuho Securities analyst Michael Nelson told Bloomberg. Clearwire most recently began courting AT&T and Verizon Wireless in a bid to raise cash for its new network.

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In addition to the costs needed to upgrade its network to LTE by next year, Sprint said earlier this week that it is paying Apple $15.5 billion during the next four years for the iPhone. That huge cost means the carrier may need an additional $7 billion in financing to help boost liquidity, Reuters said on Thursday. Reportedly, Sprint is seeking $3 billion of the additional funds from vendor deals and an additional $4 billion in refinanced debt. “[The] iPhone has an expensive contract, but it is worth every penny,” Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said on a recent conference call in reference to the money it pays Apple on each iPhone phone. Sprint pays Apple a subsidy fee that is 40% larger than any other handset it sells, but the carrier also said the iPhone has been the fastest-selling handset it has ever launched. On Wednesday, Sprint said it was negotiating a new network sharing deal with Clearwire that would extend beyond 2012. Several analysts think Sprint may be trying to juggle too much at once, however. “They’re betting the house on two things at the same time,” Mizuho analyst Michael Nelson told Reuters. “If they pull it off, great. If they don’t, their financial performance would get materially worse, and they could have significant liquidity risks.”

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Sprint and Clearwire are negotiating a network-sharing contract that will last beyond 2012, Bloomberg recently reported, noting a 29% surge in Clearwire’s stock price earlier Wednesday. CEO Dan Hesse explained on a conference call that Sprint could take advantage of Clearwire’s network in an effort to balance traffic on its planned 4G LTE network. While Sprint is “making very good progress on the technical front with Clearwire,” a deal is not yet final or definite. Sprint announced earlier this month that it plans to accelerate its 4G LTE roll-out and will launch its first markets by the middle of next year. The project is expected to be fully completed in 2013. Sprint’s move to LTE had originally suggested that its WiMAX relationship with Clearwire was coming to an end, but it appears that is no longer the case. Like Sprint, Clearwire has also said it will deploy a 4G LTE network if it can find the money. Most recently the carrier was courting AT&T and Verizon in an effort to bring in enough cash for the roll-out, which it expects to cost $600 million.

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Clearwire is in discussions to sell sell some of its wireless network capacity to Verizon Wireless and AT&T, Bloomberg reported recently. “All those discussions are under way,” Clearwire CEO Erik Prusch told Bloomberg. “I’m confident we’ll bring in new wholesale partners. Our message to the industry is that we’ve got the capacity to handle their needs.” However, it is more likely Clearwire is approaching the carriers in an effort to raise cash for its 4G LTE network plans. On August 3rd, Clearwire announced its intentions to build out a nationwide 4G LTE network but said those plans were “subject to additional funding.” Clearwire needs $600 billion to build its 4G LTE network. “We want to be the Switzerland of mobile broadband,” Prusch said, noting that his company is talking to, and willing to work with, anyone who needs network capacity.” In mid-August reports surfaced that Sprint was in talks to buy Clearwire outright in order to build its own LTE network. We expect we could hear more on Sprint and its Clearwire plans during a “Strategy Update” event on October 7th in New York City, where BGR will be reporting live.
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Sprint is in talks to purchase Clearwire outright, Bloomberg reported on Friday. The carrier has been speaking to a number of firms including Comcast about the possible acquisition, which would help Sprint build out a 4G LTE network capable of going head-to-head with competing networks from Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Cox Communications has also been involved in the discussions, Bloomberg said. Sprint could take one of two paths: it could invest more in Clearwire, although it already owns a controlling 54% stake in the company, or it could acquire it fully. Clearwire has said that it needs roughly $600 million to roll out LTE alongside its current 4G WiMAX network. In late July, however, Sprint inked a deal with network wholesaler LightSquared, in which LightSquared agreed to pay Sprint $9 billion and give the firm several billion more in service credits over 15 years for the right to use Sprint’s infrastructure to build out its own 4G LTE network. Bloomberg said Sprint’s talks with Clearwire are still in early stages and a deal is not imminent.

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In a note to investors on Tuesday, BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk raised his rating on Sprint stock from Sell to Neutral without indicating a new price target. Piecyk had previously set his price target at $3.13, but noted that the stock now trades under five times BTIG’s 2012 earnings estimate, which is below consensus. The firm notes that it is not moving to a Buy rating because Sprint’s stock may fall further still, due to uncertain earnings, high debt leverage, lack of free cash flow and a worrisome 4G strategy. Piecyk believes that Sprint “needs to develop a clear 4G strategy including financing or taking control of Clearwire.” While BTIG did revise its estimates downward based on lower potential margins due to increased roaming costs, increased Network Vision expenses and the potential need for increased handset subsidies, it notes that upcoming events such as the resolution of Sprint’s Clearwire relationship and the potential launch of Apple’s iPhone 5 could have a positive impact on Sprint’s performance.

Clearwire on Wednesday announced its intent to adopt LTE across its network. The 4G wholesaler says it may add LTE Advanced-ready technology to its network that will provide up to 120Mbps download speeds according to network technology trials. ”Clearwire plans to raise the bar again for mobile broadband service in the United States,” said John Stanton, Clearwire’s Chairman and interim CEO, in a statement. “Our leadership in launching 4G services forced a major change in the competitive mobile data landscape. Now, we plan to bring our considerable spectrum portfolio to bear to deliver an LTE network capable of meeting the future demands of the market.” Clearwire confirmed that it does not intend to discontinue support for its 4G WiMAX network in the near term, and it will continue to build out its WiMAX network. The company did not put a timeline on the plans, however, saying that its entire LTE deployment strategy is “subject to additional funding.” Clearwire’s full press release follows below.

CLEARWIRE ANNOUNCES INTENT TO ADD LTE TO ITS NETWORK TO ACCELERATE WHOLESALE BUSINESS

• Company Will Leverage Deep Spectrum Resources and All-IP Network to Meet Long-Term Mobile Broadband Demands
• Unmatched LTE Network Capable of Serving Current and Future Wholesale and Retail Customers
• Initial LTE Rollout Will Target High-Demand Areas of Current 4G Markets, Leverage Existing 4G Infrastructure for Minimal Capital Expense
• Download Speeds Exceed 120 Mbps in Successful Network Technology Trial
• Support for WiMAX 4G Network Technology to Continue

KIRKLAND, Wash, Aug. 3, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Clearwire Corporation (Nasdaq:CLWR), a leading provider of 4G wireless broadband services in the United States, today announced its intent to add “LTE Advanced-ready” technology to its 4G network. The announcement follows the successful completion of 4G technology trials that achieved download speeds exceeding 120 Mbps and demonstrated the potential of Clearwire’s unmatched spectrum advantage.

The initial implementation of Clearwire’s LTE network would target densely populated, urban areas of Clearwire’s existing 4G markets where current 4G usage demands are high. The robust all-IP infrastructure already deployed in these markets can be leveraged to serve the company’s LTE needs, delivering significant capital cost savings compared to a similar overlay by other carriers of an existing 3G architecture.

“Clearwire plans to raise the bar again for mobile broadband service in the United States,” said John Stanton, Clearwire’s Chairman and interim CEO. “Our leadership in launching 4G services forced a major change in the competitive mobile data landscape. Now, we plan to bring our considerable spectrum portfolio to bear to deliver an LTE network capable of meeting the future demands of the market.”

“This is the future of mobile broadband,” said Dr. John Saw, Clearwire’s Chief Technology Officer. “Our extensive trial has clearly shown that our ‘LTE Advanced-ready’ network design, which leverages our deep spectrum with wide channels, can achieve far greater speeds and capacity than any other network that exists today. Clearwire is the only carrier with the unencumbered spectrum portfolio required to achieve this level of speed and capacity in the United States.”

“In addition, the 2.5 GHz spectrum band in which we operate is widely allocated worldwide for 4G deployments, enabling a potentially robust, cost effective and global ecosystem that could serve billions of devices,” Saw added. “We anticipate that the economies of scale derived from this global ecosystem will act as a catalyst for the development of thousands of low-cost devices and applications. And, since we currently support millions of customers in the 2.5 GHz band, we know that our LTE network won’t present harmful interference issues with GPS or other sensitive spectrum bands.”

Clearwire also noted that since launching its first 4G market in 2009, video has become the largest component of the company’s overall data traffic and video traffic itself has increased more than tenfold since 2009. The company believes that as more video-intensive smartphones and services rise, so will the needs for Clearwire’s high-capacity 4G wholesale network.

LTE Advanced is a 4G technical standard that calls for peak download mobile speeds of at least 100 Mbps, which far exceeds today’s commercial networks. Clearwire’s LTE network will be “LTE Advanced-ready” meaning that it will use an ultra-high-capacity spectrum configuration that is superior to the typical configuration of the slower, more capacity-constrained commercial LTE network designs in the United States of today.

Clearwire’s LTE implementation plan, which is subject to additional funding, contemplates deploying Time Division Duplex (TDD) LTE technology and reusing its flexible all-IP network architecture and upgrading base station radios and some core network elements, which offers significant capital savings. This will include the use of multicarrier, or multichannel, wideband radios that will be carrier aggregation capable. Carrier aggregation is a key feature of LTE Advanced that will enable Clearwire to further leverage its vast spectrum depth to create larger “fat pipes” for deploying mobile broadband service. The network would position Clearwire as the clear leader in 4G mobile broadband technology, capable of serving the current and anticipated future demands of wholesale and retail customers.

Clearwire, together with some of the largest wireless carriers in the world, is a founding member of the Global TDD LTE Initiative (GTI) which aims to bring together leading industry partners to steer the TDD LTE ecosystem as a major standard in mobile broadband technology and drive the development of next generation mobile broadband networks. Member companies that currently support more than a billion subscribers on their networks believe that a global LTE standard has the potential to achieve significant economies of scale and serve hundreds of millions of customers worldwide.

Clearwire also restated its commitment to its existing 4G WiMAX network, which covers approximately 132 million people while serving 7.65 million retail and wholesale customers and an ecosystem of nearly 110 WiMAX enabled devices, including all 4G phones currently offered by Sprint. Clearwireexpects to end 2011 with approximately 10 million 4G customers.

BGR is at Sprint’s corporate headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas this week for a few days of meetings, tours of the massive Sprint campus and, of course, delicious barbecue. Expect plenty of coverage to come, but among the first stops this afternoon was a great little Q&A session with Sprint CEO Dan Hesse. Sprint’s chief executive had plenty to say about the AT&T/T-Mobile merger as he always does, though he was very candid with us today in admitting that his mission is both personal and professional. Hesse has a long history in the wireless industry as well all know, and he sees this merger as potentially putting an end to the wireless landscape as we know it in the U.S. “I hope you like 4G,” Hesse said, “because it could be the last generation of wireless network in the U.S.” Hesse feels like he has some level of personal duty to ensure that competition and innovation are maintained in the U.S. market, and while Sprint does have contingency plans in place, he is doing everything in his power to ensure that the FCC makes “the right decision.” Hesse also fielded several questions concerning Clearwire’s — and in turn, Sprint’s — stalled 4G WiMAX rollout in the face of Verizon’s aggressive LTE rollout and T-Mobile’s aggressive HSPA+ 42 upgrades. Hesse acknowledged that things have slowed lately, but he confirmed that Sprint has big plans moving forward that will be revealed this fall. In short, Sprint is most certainly not standing still. Of course no comment was made regarding the rumored LightSquared deal that could bring 4G LTE to Sprint subscribers in the near future.

Sprint, Clearwire and Time Warner Cable announced on Tuesday that the current 4G WiMAX footprint in New York City has been expanded by 21%. The network now covers an additional 91,363 people across the New York metropolitan area in Alpine, Bayonne, Elizabeth, Fair Lawn, Newark, Paramus, Secaucus and Union, New Jersey; and Hartsdale, New Rochelle, New York, Rockville Centre and Yonkers, New York. Clearwire’s 4G network currently covers more than 130 million U.S. residents, including a total of 11,927,000 people in the New York City area. Read on for the full press release.

Clearwire, Time Warner Cable and Sprint Expand New York City Metro 4G Mobile Broadband Network By 21 Percent

Regional New York City 4G Network Covers 11,927,000 People

KIRKLAND, Wash., NEW YORK CITY, and OVERLAND PARK, Kan., July 12, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) and Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced a significant expansion of the Clearwire 4G network footprint and key capacity upgrades for mobile broadband customers in the greater New York City metro area. The regional CLEAR^®, Time Warner Cable Mobile Internet and Sprint 4G service area have added coverage for an additional 91,363 people. Now, more than 11,927,000 people in the New York City area have access to Clearwire’s 4G mobile broadband network. This expansion represents new coverage since Clearwire’s initial launch on November 1, 2010.

Enhanced capacity and expanded coverage can be experienced in the following communities: Alpine, Bayonne, Elizabeth, Fair Lawn, Newark, Paramus, Secaucus, Union, NJ; and Hartsdale, New Rochelle, New York, Rockville Centre, Yonkers, NY.

“Across New York and New Jersey, Clearwire’s 4G speed continues to set the standard in delivering a high-speed network that businesses and consumers demand,” said Sean Reid, regional general manager for Clearwire. ”Unlimited mobile broadband usage is a product that Clearwire pioneered across the country over the last several years and is currently now in seventy-one markets across the United States.”

“Sprint 4G customers in the Greater New York area will benefit from these enhancements,” said Karen Paletta, Sprint vice president-East Region. “Our customers enjoy a wide selection of cutting-edge 4G devices – smartphones, tablets and mobile connectivity devices. Sprint 4G allows for sophisticated services such as video chat and a wide variety of applications that keep expanding every day with great new mobile devices from Sprint.”

“Time Warner Cable continues to take steps as a leader in the industry by offering our customers multiple ways to access the information and content they want at home, at work and on the go,” said Lou Lazzaro, vice president of wireless, Time Warner Cable New York City. “Mobile Internet keeps Time Warner Cable business and residential customers connected in multiple ways from multiple places so they’re never out of touch.”

4G customers in these cities will be able to increase their mobility and productivity in many ways: from instantly downloading large files to get work done on the run, browsing the Web just like at home from across the city, or watching online videos and movies while travelling in the family car around town. A variety of 4G devices are available from both service providers.

A detailed coverage map of CLEAR 4G service is available at www.clear.com/coverage.

It’s no secret that Clearwire’s going through a rough patch and, in an interview with CNET, Clearwire’s chief operating officer Erik Prusch said that the carrier may eventually switch from WiMAX to LTE. “WiMAX to date has been a very good technology choice for us,” Prusch said. “We were able to take advantage of the speed to market before LTE was even a glimmer in anyone’s eye. But we recognize the ecosystem in the U.S. will be larger for LTE than WiMAX, so we are conscious of that.” Last summer Clearwire confirmed that it would begin testing 4G LTE trials in the U.S., and it expected to demonstrate that it “[could] deliver significantly higher performance using LTE technologies than any other operator.” It’s unclear how those tests went, but Prusch did backtrack a bit and say that a switch isn’t definite, and that Clearwire needs to keep its eye on LTE and its ecosystem before pulling the trigger and setting a definite timeline. Last month Sprint — which owns a majority stake of Clearwire — said that it has agreed to pay the company $1 billion through 2012 for fees associated with the use of Clearwire’s 4G WiMAX network.

[Via Phone Scoop]

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Sprint, which owns the majority stake of Clearwire, has agreed to pay the company at least $1 billion through 2012 for fees associated with the use of its 4G WiMAX network. Sprint and Clearwire entered arbitration late last year after Sprint argued that it shouldn’t have to pay a fee for 4G handsets that exist where Clearwire’s 4G WiMAX network isn’t available. Sprint charges its customers an extra $10 monthly for the option to run on 4G networks and Clearwire charges an estimated $4.46 per 4G-handset owner. According to the Associated Press, Sprint will pay Clearwire $300 million this year and $550 million in 2012. Sprint will also reportedly pay an additional $175 million in a prepaid agreement to use the 4G WiMAX network this year and in the future. Sprint’s CEO, Dan Hesse, told the AP that his company is pleased to have reached a settlement.

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