Earlier this year it was speculated that Sprint would bring WiMax to Chicago by the end of 2008. Well, the year has passed and we have no such network. As it turns out, we won’t be seeing WiMax in the Windy City until the second half of 2009. While that’s not really far away, it could have a negative effect on WiMax, still an infant technology, as it tries to gain nationwide adoption.
“Chicago is very high on our list,” said Todd Rowley, vice president for Sprint’s WiMax network, which the carrier calls 4G. “We have many hundreds of cell sites operating already in the area. I hope it will be available in the latter half of the year.”
Next week at CES Sprint is expected to announce WiMax availability in Portland, Oregon. While it is a decently-populated city, it is not a major metropolitan hub like Chicago.
The sooner WiMax enters a major market the better.
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