4g

Global wireless subscriptions for 3G and 4G networks are expected to account for 30 percent of the market within the next five years, according to a report released Wednesday by In-Stat.

That's a substantial increase from the 11 percent slice of the global market that 3G held at the end of last year, the report noted.

The increase is expected to come by 2013, as wireless carriers upgrade their cellular networks to 4G from 3G, and network equipment makers roll out their commercial 4G products toward the end of the year.

4G technology Long Term Evolution (LTE) is expected to give WiMax stiff competition … Read more

Clearwire is shaking things up in the executive suite as the company prepares for its nationwide network roll out.

On Tuesday, the company, which is promising to blanket the country with superfast wireless service, named William T. Morrow, 49, as its new CEO, replacing Ben Wolff, a co-founder of the company and current CEO of Clearwire. Wolff will become co-chairman of the board, a position he will share with Clearwire's other founder and current chairman, Craig McCaw.

Clearwire has raised more than $3 billion to build a nationwide broadband wireless network using a technology called WiMax. Late last year, … Read more

Rumor has it that Nokia is working on a new touch-screen device for Verizon Wireless's new 4G wireless network set to go live in 2010.

TheStreet.com reported this week that the two companies are working together to create a touch-screen device that will operate on Verizon's soon-to-be-built superfast wireless network. Verizon Wireless, which is jointly owned by European carrier Vodafone and Verizon Communications, announced last month at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that it will test its new 4G network that uses a technology called Long Term Evolution, or LTE, this year and will begin … Read more

Twenty-six operators are committed to the long-term evolution 4G standard, according to research released this week by the Global Mobile Suppliers Association. While the forum for GSM and 3G suppliers worldwide decidedly has a stake in promoting LTE, the number indicates growing momentum for the standard, which promises download data rates of at least 100Mbps.

Fierce competition has arisen to become the world's first LTE operator in an arena regarded as the next generation of mobile phone service and a huge draw for customers.

Ten network operators are ready to launch their networks by 2010, according to the report. … Read more

Despite heavy losses, Clearwire is sticking to its plans to expand its WiMax wireless service to as many as 120 million people by the end of 2010.

The company, which was formed late last year by combining assets from Sprint Nextel and the original Clearwire, announced fourth quarter earnings Thursday. The company said it generated about $20.5 million in revenue and lost $118 million.

Even though the company said it would continue with its original plan to roll out its network, executives acknowledged that the speed at which new cities are added to the network may change depending on … Read more

BARCELONA--So what's a big CDMA operator like Verizon Wireless doing at a conference hosted by the GSM Association?

Well, it looks like the old technology wars that divided the wireless industry are being laid to rest as operators begin marching toward building the next-generation 4G networks. While there are still technology debates, most of the world's mobile operators, including nearly every GSM provider, are planning to use the same technology to build their 4G networks.

This is a very big deal for the wireless industry, which has suffered from infighting and technology incompatibilities over the years.

As one … Read more

BARCELONA--Verizon Communications' chief technology officer dished out details Wednesday on the company's soon-to-be-built 4G wireless network that's set to go live in 2010.

Verizon will begin testing the service this year and launch it commercially in at least 25 to 30 markets in the U.S. in 2010, CTO Dick Lynch said during an interview with CNET News after his keynote speech Wednesday at the 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress here.

"We are modeling the roll-out after our EV-DO deployment. So we expect to get to about the same level in the first year of deploying LTE … Read more

Alcatel-Lucent said on Monday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that it has joined with other companies to form a consortium to encourage the development of the next generation of wireless communications technology.

Called NG Connect--the "NG" stands for "next generation"--the consortium will bring together device manufacturers with content providers, application developers, and other interested parties, the Alcatel-Lucent said.

The consortium will be looking at different next-generation technologies, such as 4G, long-term evolution (LTE), and other ultra high-bandwidth technologies, Alcatel-Lucent said in a statement.

Other companies that have joined the consortium include Samsung, HP, Buzznet, … Read more

Sprint Nextel announced Wednesday that it will start selling dual-mode 3G/4G wireless broadband modems for laptops starting Sunday.

The new device allows users to access both Sprint's 3G cellular data network and the new 4G WiMax wireless network the company is building as part of the new Clearwire venture.

The modem known as the Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem U300 will use the new 4G Clearwire network with download speeds between 2 Mbps and 4Mbps where that network is available. And when users are out of range of the 4G wireless network, they will automatically be able to access Sprint's 3G network, which offers average downloads of between 600 Kbps and 1.4 Mbps, according to Sprint.

Sprint launched the 4G WiMax network called Xohm in Baltimore in October, just months before it officially merged its WiMax network with Clearwire's network. The service will be launched in other markets across the country throughout 2009.

At the Baltimore launch, Sprint's CEO Dan Hesse promised a wireless data device that would allow users to access both networks for better coverage.

"It will take a while for the new (4G) network to be built ubiquitously," Hesse said during the Baltimore press event. "And we will have new multimode devices that will use 4G where it's available, and when it's not, it will downshift to 3G to provide that ubiquitous data coverage."

The new wireless modem connects via a standard USB port and costs $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a two-year subscription to the wireless data service. The wireless modem will be available through Sprint's direct business sales force and at most Baltimore-area Sprint stores and select Baltimore-area retailers, the company said. Starting in January, the device will also be available in Baltimore-area Best Buy stores.

The new wireless modem from Sprint will likely be a better deal for most consumers because the service, which costs $79.99 per month, offers the best coverage at the best price.… Read more