Sprint To Bring WiMAX Access To Chicago And Washington DC

2007 promises to go down as the year of WiMAX as more major players embrace the technology. The newest announcement involves Sprint's announcement that they are bringing Wimax to Chicago and Washington, D.C. WiMAX is supposed to be available to 100 million people by the end of 2008.

The company will drop more than $800 million on WiMAX upgrades this year, and nearly $2 billion next year, to build what Sprint refers to as its "4G" network. WiMAX promises higher speeds and better coverage than existing wireless data networks based on EV-DO or EDGE technology, and Sprint wants to ensure that it is a leading provider of wireless, high-speed access.

WiMAX moves the possibility of universal portability closer and improves many of the issues people complain about today. Motorola will build the actual network but Sprint will market the products once it's completed. No word on the scheduled date of completion.