Sprint today announced a new laptop modem that will allow users to switch between the company's normal cellular network and the new high-speed WiMAX network.

The USB Modem U300 will go on sale Sunday in Baltimore, the only market where Sprint is currently offering 4G wireless service under the Xohm brand.

WiMAX can cover an entire city and provide download speeds up to five times faster than Sprint's current wireless network.

Sprint merged its WiMAX assets with Clearwire last month. The new company, also called Clearwire, plans to roll out commercial WiMAX service in Portland in January.

By the end of 2009, WiMAX will be available to about 60 million people.

The device will sell for $149.99 after a $50 rebate and with a two-year agreement.

1. Posted by IOWA	Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:41 am
Chicago is among the first markets to get wimax service also. bring on the wimax.
2. Posted by bgreif	Thu Dec 18, 2008 2:24 pm
WiMax sounds pretty cool, if you had a need for speed, wi fi is fast enough for me though
3. Posted by IOWA	Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:09 am
WiFi is going to die. free wifi anyway. more and more people abuse it and with today's economy less business's can afford to give it away for free. especially with the bandwidth caps
4. Posted by bgreif	Fri Dec 19, 2008 2:45 pm
we (at&t) keep adding more and more free wi fi spots, catch is, you have to be an at&t customer to use them
5. Posted by man1234	Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:10 pm
we (at&t) keep adding more and more free wi fi spots, catch is, you have to be an at&t customer to use them im sorry but bgrief, all your posts refer to at&t somehow and clearly, being that this is a sprint forum, nobody wants you to compare and contrast at&t to everything unless asked. im saying this in the nicest way possible
6. Posted by IOWA	Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:31 am
Funny part is, att had the nerve to complain to the fcc about the sprint clearwire wimax venture. and every other carrier was for it. even verizon. didn't oppose it. att is afraid they are going to lose subscribers. and they will.
7. Posted by man1234	Sat Dec 20, 2008 10:50 am
i hope they do. they think they are the best but they are horrible.
8. Posted by IOWA	Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:47 pm
But i think it's funny att of all companies is going to complain about a merger.
9. Posted by DonLouie	Thu Dec 25, 2008 4:03 pm
I want to see this take a huge step forward but think it's dumb to cost more than current editions even if you get a shorter contract
10. Posted by IOWA	Thu Dec 25, 2008 9:37 pm
That Is the best part. it is non contract service
11. Posted by DonLouie	Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:04 pm
I can't wait for it to hit Chicago but at $80/month the Clear prices make this look like robbery
12. Posted by IOWA	Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:18 pm
That's actually not bad considering it will be the only unlimited service out there, even cable modem lines have a bandwidth cap.

Post a comment and discuss this story with other readers.