A WiMAX-enabled Smartphone Coming to Clearwire, But Not Soon

Those who would like to use a smartphone with Clearwire's WiMAX service are in for a bit of a wait: the company says it won't be releasing a 4G-enabled phone until near the end of this year.

Clearwire's is the largest WiMAX service in the U.S.,but it's still relatively new. At this point, it is still mostly focused on offering its service to laptops and PCs.

However, those who want a handheld device that can connect to the Clear service can get the Samsung Mondi, a WiMAX-enabled MID. This device sports a 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen and a sliding keyboard, but does not function as a phone.

Looking Ahead to Phones
Clearwire representatives at the Consumer Electronics Show are willing to reveal that their company is going to bring out a smartphone in 2010, they didn't give any details about this upcoming model, not even who will be producing it.

Some obvious possibilities are Samsung and HTC, who both already make WiMAX-enabled mobile devices.

Unlike typical wireless carriers, Clearwire's WiMAX network is data only, without a voice component. This company therefore has two options, phones that use its service can offer calls via VoIP software or they can be dual-mode devices, that offer WiMAX and also support for another carrier's voice network.

UPDATE: A company rep said today that the smartphone(s) expected later this year will almost certainly have voice service from Sprint. Sprint owns a majority of Clearwire, making it the obvious choice as a carrier partner.

Source: Clearwire