Clearwire Officially Fires Up WiMax in Vegas

Clearwire has turned flipped the switch on WiMax mobile broadband in Las Vegas, promises WiMax/3G modem and nationwide service in August.

Clearwire has officially launched its Clear-branded 4G WiMax mobile broadband service in Las Vegas, Nevada, marking the company’s fourth major WiMax service area following Baltimore, Portland Oregon, and Atlanta. Clearwire says the Las Vegas service area covers about 1.7 million people over 638 square miles.

“Wile it’s true that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, now, thanks to Clear, that doesn’t mean it has to stay in one place,” said Jeremy Abler, General Manager of Las Vegas market for Clearwire. “Clear will bring to Las Vegas residents the super-fast mobile internet experience they’re used to having at home or the office, anywhere around town, or on the go.”

Clearwire also says that beginning August 1, it will begin offering a dual mode 4G/3G USB modem, enabling customers to tap into WiMax connectivity in 4G service areas, and fall back to Sprint’s 3G network when outside WiMax coverage range; Clearwire plans to offer the modem for $80 a month with a two-year service agreement. Clearwire also plans to roll out Mac support on August 17 with Clear Connection Manager software for Macintosh that will worth with existing WiMax-only models; Mac support for the dual-mode modem should come in the fourth quarter.

Clearwire also re-iterated its plans to have WiMax service rolled out in 80 marjo metropolitan markets by the end of 2010, with coverage for up to 120 million people. Markets slated to be lit up in 2009 include Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Philadelphia, Seattle, Honolulu, and Charlotte; first in line for 2010 launches are Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Houston.