Clearwire expects 30m subscribers by 2017

WiMAX is the way to keep the cellular backhaul costs low. Personally, I think Clearline’s estimate of 30 million customers is probably conservative.

As technology goes, so goes WIMAX... * Broadband devices will become faster, better, cheaper and smaller. * Consumer thrist for immediate communications anywhere, anytime will not abate. * GSM speeds cannot keep up with even today's consumer expectations for instant gratification. * New Value Added Services will demand more bandwidth and communications infrastructure.

I have the personal conviction that mobile WiMax - 802.16e - is simply another wireless technology that will compete solely with cellular networks and will not be able to establish as a real alternative for wireline networks. The presented growth scenario wants to appear conservative: Clearwire clearly aims to be the fourth or fifth major wireless operator in the US and could well shoot for 50 Million...

Clearwire can achieve these numbers, regardless of the noise that AT&T and Verizon are making about LTE - In past technology waves, the incumbant has always suffered with the legacy equipment it must transition or retire to move to new disruptive technology. Clearwire is starting out with no legacy equipment, which will result in lower capex and opex in their operation -  The LTE-WiMax argument...