Clearwire to expand WiMAX network to 8 major markets in '09

Clearwire has announced plans to expand its mobile WiMAX network to 120 million Americans across 80 markets in 2010, and 8 major markets in 2009. According to a press release, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Philadelphia, and Seattle will have access to the high-speed, next-generation wireless broadband network this year. In 2010, the company hopes to expand coverage to major markets in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Houston, and San Francisco.

In related news, GigaOM is reporting that James Harper, senior manager of technology marketing at Nokia also made headlines when he said that Nokia would commit to Long Term Evolution (LTE) next-generation networks, with plans to launch devices for the networks in 2010. Harper unveiled slides in a presentation at a PCCA meeting in Grapevine, Texas, detailing why LTE is the preferred 4th generation mobile broadband technology. Previously, Nokia had shown support for WiMAX by creating an Internet tablet that utilized Clearwire's network.