Sprint Nextel, Nokia To Launch Mobile WiMax In Texas

Nokia today said that it won Sprint Nextel's business to deploy a mobile WiMax network for the Texas markets of Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. Sprint Nextel will launch WiMax services in the Lone Star state in the first half of 2008. Sprint Nextel plans to deploy a WiMax network covering 100 million people in the United States by the end of next year.Nokia also said it plans to make WiMax-enabled mobile devices in 2008, including tablets and multimedia computers.

Sprint Nextel's WiMax network could be the proof-of-concept the technology needs to take off. Last week, WiMax service provider Clearwire raised $600 million through an IPO, but the company's share price continues to decline as the market has soured on the service provider's prospects. Some wireless industry insiders claim that if Clearwire flops it could negatively affect the future of WiMax.