Sprint Preps to Launch Xohm WiMax Network

Reports have Sprint getting ready to launch its Xohm WiMax network October 8 in Baltimore, promising downstream wireless bandwidth of 2 to 4 Mbps.

Although it’s been much-delayed—and then delayed again—telecommunications operator Sprint appears to be ready to take the wraps of its Xohm WiMax-based wireless broadband data service on on October 8, sending invitation to members of the press for an unveiling at Baltimore’s Bond Street Wharf Park.

Some press reports have the network already up and operational, with Sprint mainly delaying the announcement to accommodate executive schedules and intervening holidays. Baltimore was one of three test markets set up by Sprint to test WiMax deployment.

Sprint’s Xohm service will be the first commercially-available WiMax service in the U.S., and will mainly compete with HSDPA and other 3G card-based modem solutions. Although Sprint hasn’t announced pricing, industry watchers expect plans to start at or below $50 per month, with advertised downstream bandwidth of 2 to 4 Mbps, although higher bandwidth bursts are possible, putting Xohm ahead of typical bandwidth available on 3G networks. WiMax’s chief competitor will likely be LTE—Long Term Evolution—a recently solidified standard expected to hit the market in a few years—Verizon has already committed to using its recently-acquired 700 MHz spectrum licenses to support LTE in the United States.