IEEE ComSocSCV is extremely fortunate to have Clearwire reveal details of its "4G" Developer network at our Feb 10th meeting. Here are the preliminary details of what promises to be a very informative, exciting, and highly interactive panel session:

Mobile WiMAX (as provided by CLEAR, Sprint, Comcast, and Time Warner in the United States and by other carriers worldwide) and 4G represent an opportunity for a new generation of product and services that take advantage of true mobile broadband. CLEAR understands the true value of 4G WiMAX will be realized through these new product and services, and with this in mind is focused on enabling 3rd party services and devices for the CLEAR network.

Session Title: Developer Opportunities with CLEAR WiMAX 4G

Abstract:   David Rees and Allen Flanagan (see below for bio’s) will provide an overview of CLEAR’s network, nation-wide rollout, and device plans. They will provide details on CLEAR’s Innovation Network program and how Silicon Valley developers can get discounted aircards and free network access through 2010 to develop and test their 4G ideas. We will also walk through the available and planned platform and device services that CLEAR will be providing including location, network session information, connection management, activation, and provisioning. We will discuss some of the use cases of these services including proactive video optimization and location-enabled services.

Bio’s:

David Rees drives CLEAR’s ecosystem enablement efforts, working with partners and developers to help them realize the potential of WiMAX in their products and services. The ecosystem enablement team is working to support developers through network services, platform APIs, reference implementations, workshops, and other partnering efforts. We also take the feedback and results of developers and use it to help optimize our network and platform roadmaps for developers and partners. David holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Rensselaer and has been in the technology industry for twenty years.

Allen Flanagan manages the CLEAR 4G WiMAX Innovation network program (http://developer.clear.com/innovation), a special program where CLEAR has built out an early access WiMAX network in Silicon Valley with the goal of enabling software developers and technology companies to innovate on WiMAX. He works as part of a focused team of people within Clearwire that deals with WiMAX ecosystem and partner programs. Allen has worked in the High Tech industry for over 15 years in a variety of roles from Enterprise Application development to Technology Channel Marketing. He holds a BS from the US Naval Academy and an MBA from the University of Texas.

What’s the next rev of CLEAR (which is currently based on IEEE 802.16e-2005 standard)?:

In recent interviews, Clearwire has backed off of its committment to a future version of Wimax (IEEE 802.16m AKA Wimax 2.0) and hinted it might consider deploying LTE as its true 4G technology.

In a discussion with Unstrung, Clearwire CTO John Saw said the company might begin testing equipment based on the pending IEEE 802.16m standard in 2011. The IEEE could approve the new 802.16m air interface specification this summer, but Mr. Saw says the company wouldn’t begin commercial deployment until 2012.

For more info see: Clearwire Not Rushing to Test ‘WiMax 2’

http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=186735&

In a separate article, CNET’s Marguerite Reardon hints that Clearwire may eventually migrate to LTE- a competing technology that’s expected to be used by most of the world’s major wireless operators.

Clearwire may consider 4G alternatives to WiMax