Monthly Research Update

Experton Group Weekly IT News

Sprint announces iPhone killer, while Comcast Considers Wireless Services

By: Jerald Murphy

Officials from Sprint Nextel announced its next mobile device that is designed to compete against the Apple, Inc. iPhone. In other news, Apple announced intentions to explore WiMAX networking, while executives at Comcast, Inc. discussed their intentions to get into WiMAX mobile services.

Focal Points:

• At the recent National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) convention, various cable vendors were demonstrating services that used WiMAX wireless networking technologies. Demonstrations were conducted by Motorola, Inc. using the technology for wireless broadband. In addition, executives from Bright House Networks, Comcast Corp., and Time Warner Cable, Inc. said they intended to use this technology for their mobile subscribers. Comcast and Time Warner officials said their WiMAX services would be delivered through Clearwire, the Sprint/Nextel Clearwire Corp. joint venture. Officials from Clearwire said they were targeting a nationwide WiMAX deployment that would cover up to 140 million people by the end of 2010.
• Recently posted job advertisements show that Apple is looking for wireless engineers that have capabilities to support GPS and WiMAX networking technologies. This hints at Apple's intention to potentially move into these other wireless services. Other technologies they are looking to hire for include ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, mobile TV, and Bluetooth.
• Officials from Sprint announced that they will debut the Samsung, Inc. Instinct mobile phone on 20 June. Analysts expect the phone to sell for between 200 and 300 dollars. It will initially be available to Sprint customers that have signed up for the "Simply Everything" rate plan. The technology used on the phone will be EV-DO and will have a camera, video camera, music player, as well as turn-by-turn navigation. It will have a touch screen similar to the iPhone, with the ability to do Web browsing. Potential buyers can pre-sign up for the phone on a special site created by Sprint.

Experton Group believes WiMAX services will eventually become mainstream in the United States, but not before Intel Corp. embeds WiMAX capabilities in chipsets that will allow WiMAX to become embedded feature in laptops. Initial markets will start to develop with handsets, but most of the handset functionality will be limited to working on a single service provider network. IT executives should get an update on their end user compute devices and develop long-range plans for supported mobile access, which should consider WiMAX capabilities.