Sprint said to be cooking up a tri-mode cocktail; WiMAX, WiFi, CDMA handset

By on Jun 2, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Rumor June 2, 2009

Many people have wondered aloud what Sprint’s next big move might be after the Pre jumps off this weekend. The Palm Eos? Perhaps, but it looks like the struggling carrier might have something even more exciting in its bag within the next year or so. Market analysis firm SmarTrend is reporting that an unnamed Sprint spokesperson revealed a tri-mode handset coming down the pipeline sometime in 2009/2010. Said phone will be sporting CDMA, WiFi and WiMAX compatibility, which would provide a healthy mix of CDMA coverage and beastly data speeds where WiMAX is available. Analysts guess believe this upcoming tri-mode beast may be Android-powered, though we have yet to see anything substantiate that claim. As Sprint continues to expand WiMAX coverage and tout “the first wireless 4G network” in commercials, it would indeed be nice to see a handset emerge with WiMAX compatibility before the year is out. We shall see.

Thanks, fresh!

Read

Tags:
, , , , ,
61 Comments

Related Articles

  • Don Louie Cantone

    J, Google Clearwire heck click the WiMax tab in this article and the story is here. There is no 4G standard in the U.S. and as of now only vzw is competing in the next year so hodgepodge that. Let the consumer speak and quit forcing your OPINION. You seem like an well read person, so you should understand you can’t make chjoices for the masses or dictate someone’s opinion

  • Don Louie Cantone

    And that same logic isn’t applicable to your defense of the Pre in 6 month, and I’m an advocate. Now while your out researching, find those 40 LTE cities because that blanket statement has definite locales. Minneapolis Columbus, OH and a really vague northern NJ is what vzw has now but it’s not clear afterwards and nobody seems to want to address christexasport’s capacity problem. Before Sprint decided to go the WiMax route CDMA’s migration path was 1rxtt, DOr.0, DOrA, DOrB to EVDV, Sprint threw a wicked curve that has the competition scrambling to discredit the innovative thinking because before 4G came out vzw was on that same path and if what is being said about capacity is true they may have go that route also. Time will tell if a winner can be crowned but there’s no reason for choices to restricted because what works for one (GSM vs CDMA, Verizon vs ATT vs T Mobile vs Sprint vs etc.) is not guaranteed to work for all.

  • Don Louie Cantone

    Now what were the results of your WiMax/LTE research again? The capacity problems that vzw is projected to have, not talking about att because they aren’t supposed to have LTE in 40 unknown cities (good timeline but no specifics from thier spokesman) and a well read person like yourself can use context to surmise I was calling you a hypocrite for taking one company’s words at face value while disregarding another’s as propaganda. I’m actually anxious to see how the 4G battles turn out, seeing that only 2 companies are in it now

  • http://www.unstrung.com Dan Jones

    Spoken to Sprint a couple of times on this. They are working on a CDMA/WiMax handset for real, on the roadmap for 2009-10. My guess would be 2010, since phone chips that can support CDMA/WiMax/WiFi will be more available.

    See:

    http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=177651&

    DJ

  • Don Louie Cantone

    Now that they’re moving closer to having more cities, start leaking the devices

  • Rob

    The joke is on you. WiMAX is here and works GREAT. AT&T can’t touch the speeds coming down from WiMAX. Streamed YouTube with no issues. Ran speed tests showing 6Mbps in a 2-3 bar area.

    Oh, and it’s not even advertised as ready in the Dallas / Fort Worth market. So I assume this speed is on a test site.

  • http://www.symbian-freak.com christexaport

    actually, its been long known that WiMax subscribers have access to the hardware in other unlaunched markets. The system is online in many places, but not commercially launched and offered in all places.

  • Rob

    And that leaves me saying… So? Your point? Does that make it not a testing phase? Does that mean it’s passed all their requirements and they just haven’t wanted to generate revenue off of it yet so they leave it unadvertised?

  • scott e.

    Oooooh, Nokia. Now there is a major US market player. I’m sure that carries a lot of weight with carriers. So what are you telling us, that Sprint will not be able to offer cheap Nokias? Like it matters. The only major US carrier that offers a decent Nokia is AT&T, and not even the top of the line. Now if you tell me Samsung, LG, Moto, HTC, or Kyocera/Sanyo have ruled it out then Sprint should start worrying. BTW, as for “building” their 4G network, Nextel towers work well with WiMax.

  • scott e.

    Wow you sound like one of those GSM will rule people in the 90′s Well it 4 months away from 2010 and there are more CDMA users in the US than GSM. Also the new technology for GSM is really CDMA. What does this have to do with WiMAX? Simple, just as one standard did not take over the marketplace for voice, the same will hold true for 4G. And WiMax is in more than 4 markets, it is sold as Clear in others, Comcast sells it as well as Sprint. I believe that Cox is also a Clear partner. So the major Cable companies want in the wireless game just like they did for the wireline. WiMax dead, doubtful.

  • scott e.

    Read the article you linked. These are tests, not real world usage. LTE is only in testing, WiMAX is being deployed and used by customers in the real world. Seems to me that WiMAX is here now.

1 2 3
blog comments powered by Disqus