Sprint Nextel and Nokia in WiMAX pact

Sprint Nextel and Nokia in WiMAX pact

Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) today announced that Nokia has been named a key infrastructure and consumer electronic device provider for its 4G WiMAX next generation mobility network. Nokia joins Intel, Samsung and Motorola in creating the advanced network infrastructure and access devices which will be designed to allow consumers, businesses and governments to experience high bandwidth mobile Internet connectivity at access speeds significantly higher than today’s wireless networks beginning late 2007.

Sprint Nextel last August announced the selection of WiMAX (IEEE802.16e-2005) technology for a next generation wireless network which would utilize the company’s extensive 2.5GHz spectrum assets, and formation of a unique business ecosystem designed to spur widespread adoption of WiMAX devices and services. This combination creates a time-to-market advantage for implementing the first large scale mobile WiMAX network expected to cover at least 100 million people by year-end 2008.

“Sprint Nextel is forming a world class ecosystem around mobile WiMAX technology to deliver unprecedented mobile broadband services to customers,” said Barry West, Sprint Nextel president, 4G Mobile Broadband. “A company of Nokia’s global stature fortifies the foundation of Sprint’s mobility vision and will help make Sprint’s WiMAX multimedia services pervasive and indispensable for customers.”

Read the complete Press Release