Tuesday, August 21, 2007

XOHM = ZOOM + ROAM


Sprint (US) is getting ready to unleash a WiMAX network unto the masses. The quirky news is that they've decided to name it XOHM. The 4G high-speed data network will be based on WiMAX technology, and they plan on sharing the network with Clearwire.

By the end of 2008, the XOHM (pronounced "zoam"... sort of like a zoom-roam hybrid) network will be able to reach 100 million people. If everything goes according to plan, this number will expand to 125 million by the end of 2010. The initial building of the infrastructure will cost Sprint about $2.5 billion.

The first cities to experience XOHM will be Chicago, Baltimore, and Washington when they get their hands on the soft launch at the end of this year. The full commercial WiMAX launch is scheduled for "the first half of 2008."
In another announcement, Sprint Nextel Corp., the third largest US wireless service firm, has announced plans to spend nearly $5 billion by the end of 2010 on a new network based on the emerging high-speed wireless technology known as WiMax, Reuters reported. The company said that it expects spending on the network through the end of 2008 to be at the low end of its previously announced estimates due to its agreement to connect its network with Clearwire Corp., a small wireless service provider. Sprint said it expects to spend $2.5 billion on the network through the end of 2008 compared with its earlier estimate of $2.5 billion to $3 billion. Sprint expects to reach a potential 100 million customers in that time, with the company providing coverage to 70 million people and Clearwire covering 30 million people.
To read the Press release for XOHM click here.
Official XOHM Website here.

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