We have long suggested that one of the key requirements for enterprise mobility is a high-capacity mobile broadband network. Last week, fixed mobile communications and enterprise mobility took a big step forward in the U. S. when Clearwire and Sprint Nextel agreed to combine their next-generation wireless broadband businesses to form a new wireless communications company. 

Sprint and Clearwire also announced that Intel, Google, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks have collectively agreed to invest $3.2 billion into the new company. Sprint will own the approximately 51% of the new venture, Clearwire will own about 27% and the other investors will own about 22%.

The new company, which will be named Clearwire, will deploy the first nationwide mobile WiMAX network targeted to consumers, small businesses, medium and large enterprises, public safety organizations and educational institutions. The new Clearwire expects to dramatically enhance the speed and manner in which customers access all that the Internet has to offer at home, in the office and on the road.

In a prepared statement Clearwire Chairman Craig O. McCaw, said, “The power of the mobile Internet, which offers speed and mobility, home and away, on any device or screen, will fundamentally transform the communications landscape in our country. We believe that the new Clearwire will operate one of the fastest and most capable broadband wireless networks ever conceived, giving us the opportunity to return the U.S. to a leadership position in the global wireless industry.”

In technology tests, Clearwire has been able to achieve 5M to 6Mbps download and 2M to 3Mbps upload bandwidth with a device travelling at 60 mph. More reliable service, and higher throughput, should be possible through fixed-location services that connect to the WiMAX network. Based on an open architecture, the new Clearwire expects to offer mobile wireless Internet services on a broad array of new devices that will be made possible by integrated WiMAX chipsets. (Compare WiMAX products)

The transaction has been approved by all of the parties' boards of directors, and is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2008, subject to approval from shareholders, the FCC, and other regulatory approvals.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Larry Hettick is a principal analyst at Current Analysis.