Will WiMax only service soon be available on the Sprint network? According to a recent Phone News report, the company is testing two new WiMax only service plans for home and mobile WiMax service. 

Select markets were selected for testing. Sprint’s current 4G Mobile Broadband Connect plan is priced at $50, a full $10 less than the standard 3G/4G service plan currently available for $59.99. The 4G Mobile Broadband Connect plan is compatible with the recently launched U1901 USB modem. The plan is currently available in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Greensboro, N.C., Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City and Seattle. In addition to this test run, Sprint has also introduced the 4G Desktop Modem Connect Plan, priced at $45 per month. 

This plan is offered as an alternative to Cable/DSL connections and is compatible with the Sprint 4G Desktop Modem CPEi25150, made by Motorola. When this modem is in place, a wired/wireless router enables service sharing. 

Engadget reported in March that Sprint had announced seven new WiMax markets. The company is on an aggressive path for implementation. In an e-mail leaked from an industry insider, it appears Sprint is targeted its competition. The e-mail was supposedly penned by Joe Whited, manager of corporate communications at Sprint and says, “Let AT&T and Verizon yak about maps and 3G coverage, we’re moving forward with what customers really want – lightening [sic.] fast Internet and uncapped 4G service.” 

Consider these fighting words and what better way to improve offerings for customers than to provoke the competition?In other Sprint news, the company recently announced the availability of Samsung Epic 4G, America’s first 4G-capable phone. The Samsung Epic 4G is powered by the Android 2.1 operating system, features a slide-out, full QWERTY keyboard and 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen display.

Additional features include the Samsung 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application Processor, dual camera, visual voicemail, mobile hotspot capability supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices, Android Market, Wi-Fi b/g/n and a 1500 mAh removable battery.

Sprint announced earlier this month that executive Kevin Packingham is leaving the company. Packingham, senior vice president for product development and a Sprint employee for more than a decade, plans to leave the nation’s third-largest wireless operator on Monday. Word is that he plans to take the helm of a new Kansas City area business, the name of which has not been disclosed.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TechZone360 and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Erin Harrison