Google Chrome OS Netbook 4G MVNO

Could this be a good time to invest in Clearwire Communications (CLWR) they have entered into an agreement with Google to collaborate on a number of products and services. Clearwire Communications will also support the open-source Android platform and will work with Google to to offer certain other applications.

Major investors in Clearwire Communications are Sprint, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Intel and Google.

Clearwire shareholders back Sprint venture

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Clearwire Corp (CLWR) said on Thursday its shareholders had voted to approve its proposed high-speed wireless joint venture with Sprint Nextel Corp (S) that includes an investment of $3.2 billion from cable, Web and chip partners.
Analysts had widely expected the vote, which was the last remaining hurdle for the deal, to be in favor of the venture, which will take on the Clearwire name. The venture would build a network based on WiMax, an emerging high-speed wireless technology.
Clearwire, which has the consent of the majority of its lenders, said it expects to amend and restate its credit agreements shortly to permit the deal.
In early May Clearwire and Sprint announced plans for a $14.5 billion venture that they hope would give them a head-start on AT&T Inc (T) and Verizon Wireless in developing the next generation of wireless data services.
As part of the deal, five strategic partners are investing a combined $3.2 billion in the venture. They include Intel Corp (INTC), Google Inc (GOOG), Comcast Corp (CMCSA), Time Warner Cable Inc (TWC) and Bright House Networks.
It wasn't immediately clear why shares of both Clearwire and Sprint were down sharply following the news.
Clearwire fell 23 percent to $4.46 at mid-afternoon on Nasdaq. Sprint dropped 20 percent to $1.50 on New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Sinead Carew, editing by Richard Chang)

Ozmo Devices Unveils the First Wi-Fi PAN Technology for Low-Power Applications

PALO ALTO, Calif - June 2, 2008 - Ozmo Devices, a developer of low-power wireless solutions, announced today that the company has developed the first low-power Wi-Fi Personal Area Network (Wi-Fi PAN) technology to bring native low-power peripheral connectivity to Wi-Fi platforms. The Ozmo solution extends the Wi-Fi functionality already existing on many platforms to include connectivity with low-power wireless peripherals such as mice and headsets. Unlike legacy WPAN technologies, Ozmo Devices' innovative approach does not require an additional radio inside the platform or a dongle to communicate with the peripheral.

Ozmo Devices' low-power Wi-Fi PAN technology includes a software driver that delivers native low-power peripheral connectivity to the platform and a highly integrated, ultra-low-power IC in the wireless peripheral that seamlessly communicates with the platform. This unique two-part approach delivers unprecedented performance and cost advantages for system developers while at the same time solving integration and interoperability problems associated with traditional approaches.

Ozmo Devices' low-power Wi-Fi PAN solution is slated for integration in high-volume Wi-Fi-enabled platforms, and major peripheral manufacturers are actively sampling the Ozmo IC for their new designs. According to Brian VanHarlingen, Senior Technologist at Belkin, Ozmo Devices is enabling a new generation of wireless peripherals that can deliver unrivaled performance and convenience. "Belkin is committed to adopting new technologies that improve the consumer experience," he commented. "Ozmo Devices' innovative, practical approach to low-power Wi-Fi PAN promises to deliver both rich functionality and convenience through previously unrealized Wi-Fi functionality. We view Ozmo's technology as offering unique value to the peripheral market, and we look forward to introducing solutions that deliver on these promises."

Introduction of Ozmo Devices' low-power Wi-Fi PAN technology is ideally timed to leverage Wi-Fi's emergence as the preeminent technology for wireless networks. Over 100 million Wi-Fi-enabled notebook computers will ship in 2008, and ABI Research forecasts that over 240 million Wi-Fi-enabled consumer electronics devices will ship in 2011. Manufacturers of portable media players and home entertainment platforms are rapidly adopting Wi-Fi in response to consumer demand for secure, reliable wireless connectivity.

Ozmo Devices was founded as H-Stream Wireless in December 2004. The company is privately held and funded by Granite Ventures, Intel Capital, and Tallwood Venture Capital. The company is led by a team of renowned semiconductor and wireless industry veterans, including President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Timm, Chief Technical Officer Katelijn Vleugels, Vice President of Engineering Mike Schwartz, and Vice President of Software Jon Edney.

According to Dave Timm, Ozmo Devices' WPAN connectivity solution benefits platform developers, peripheral manufacturers, and users alike. "Wi-Fi has emerged as the wireless technology of choice, both at home and in the office. By leveraging the Wi-Fi chip that's already in so many mobile platforms, we're able to natively deliver wireless peripheral connectivity. Our unique low-power Wi-Fi PAN technology eliminates the interoperability and performance issues that have hindered broad adoption of traditional WPAN approaches. With Ozmo's low-power Wi-Fi PAN solution, users will enjoy the convenience of wireless operation without constantly worrying about performance, security, and battery life."

"Thanks to falling prices and improvements in basic technologies, the potential of Wi-Fi beyond its current application in enterprise, residential, and metro wireless LANs has been clear for some time," said Craig Mathias, a principal with the wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group (Ashland, MA). "Ozmo Devices' introduction of its low-power Wi-Fi PAN is a remarkable innovation that will change how users think about Wi-Fi, expanding applications and improving performance in the bargain. This is a very important new direction for Wi-Fi."

Ozmo Devices' Timm added that the company looks forward to broad adoption of its technology in applications ranging from mobile computing and communications to home entertainment.

About Ozmo Devices
Founded in December 2004 as H-Stream Wireless, Ozmo Devices is the leading provider of low-power Wi-Fi PAN solutions. Ozmo Devices extends the functionality of Wi-Fi-enabled platforms to seamlessly communicate with peripherals. Ozmo Devices' silicon solution delivers superior performance for low-power wireless peripherals like mice and headsets. Ozmo Devices is backed by top-tier venture capital firms and managed by semiconductor industry veterans. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and has offices in the United Kingdom. For more information about Ozmo Devices, visit www.ozmodevices.com.

Clearwire, Sprint Nextel to merge wireless units

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Clearwire and Sprint Nextel are planning to merge their wireless broadband units to create a new $14.55-billion (U.S.) wireless communications company.

The new company, to be named Clearwire, will receive a $3.2-billion investment from Intel Corp., Google Inc., Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc. and Bright House Networks. The investment is based on a target price of $20 per Clearwire share and will give the companies a 22 per cent stake in the new venture.

Sprint Nextel Corp. will be majority owner with a 51 per cent equity stake, while existing Clearwire shareholders will receive about 27 per cent interest.

Clearwire, which will concentrate on rolling out a mobile network based on the emerging WiMAX standard, will also receive an investment from Trilogy Equity Partners, led by U.S. wireless industry veteran John Stanton.

WiMAX promises faster download speeds than the latest networks run by cell-phone operators, and it's even seen as a potential competitor to fixed-line broadband.

Sprint and Clearwire, a startup founded by cellular pioneer Craig McCaw, had already announced their plans to build out networks using WiMAX technology, but had been looking for outside funding.

The new company will be led by Clearwire Chief Executive Benjamin Wolff, with Sprint Chief Technology Officer Barry West serving as president. West also leads Sprint's XOHM division.

The Kirkland, Wash.-based venture will house workers from Clearwire and Sprint's XOHM unit and will have research and development and other operations located in Herndon, Va.

The deal, which has been approved by the boards of all companies involved, is expected to close during the fourth quarter.

Clearwire, Sprint resume talks

Wireless Internet provider Clearwire Corp. and cellular operator Sprint Nextel Corp. have reportedly restarted talks to combine their high-speed wireless WiMax networks.

Sprint and Clearwire are discussing a joint venture that would attract funding from Intel Corp., a major backer of WiMax technology, which promises faster wireless Web connection speeds for laptops and cell phones than mobile operators' third-generation networks.

The companies have also approached Google Inc. and Best Buy Inc. about financing, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Sprint has started rolling out its WiMax network in some markets and has said it wants to reach 100 million U.S. consumers by the end of this year.

Helen Chung, a Clearwire spokeswoman, declined to comment on the report. A Sprint spokesman did not immediately return a call and an e-mail for comment.

The companies' first attempt to forge a WiMax partnership ended in November, sending shares of the much smaller Clearwire down more than 40 percent in the ensuing weeks. Since then, the companies have discussed a plan to spin off Sprint's WiMax unit, called Xohm, and merge it with Clearwire, according to the report.

Clearwire operates pre-WiMax networks in 46 U.S. markets, including Seattle, Syracuse, N.Y., and Duluth, Minn. The Seattle-based company, founded by cellular pioneer Craig McCaw, is testing a full-fledged WiMax network in Portland, Ore.

Shares of Clearwire skyrocketed $2.43, or 19.5 percent, to $14.88 in afternoon trading, while Sprint's stock jumped 78 cents, or 7.8 percent, to $10.75.

McCaw Bets Again on Wireless Frontier

An article in the Wall Street Journal sheds a bit more light some of the plans Sprint and Clearwire have been considering for their WiMAX businesses after ending their plans to build out a nationwide network together. The article, which features a rare interview with Clearwire's Craig McCaw (although very light on the quotes and attributions), says Sprint's board last week rejected a plan to spin off the WiMAX unit and merge it with Clearwire. Meanwhile, it says Clearwire is holding discussions with parties that might include Intel, Comcast and Google about a direct partnership.

Read Full Article »

A Wake-Up Call From Craig McCaw

From Business Week, July 18, 2006

Imagine a future like this: You’re on the Acela high-speed train from Boston to Washington and you want to touch base with friends in Beijing and London. You pull out your laptop and moments later are catching up via video link — even as the train thunders along at 150 miles an hour. Later, as you zip past the White House in a cab, you grab the same laptop to catch up on e-mail, then boot up your media player to watch a few minutes of the afternoon ball game of your hometown favorite, the Boston Red Sox.

If Craig O. McCaw gets his way, you’ll be able to do all that, and more, in as little as three years’ time. McCaw’s Clearwire Corp. has amassed enough licensed radio spectrum to create a nationwide, wireless broadband network based on an emerging technology called mobile WiMAX — a powerful cousin of WiFi. Clearwire got a big boost on July 5, when Intel Corp. (INTC ) and Motorola Inc. (MOT ) pumped nearly $900 million into the company. The tech giants aim to turn WiMAX into a mainstream consumer technology and hope to make lots of money selling the chips, laptops, cell phones, and other gear that work with it.

McCaw famously upended Ma Bell by building a cellular phone network in the 1980s, a business he later sold to AT&T (T ) for $11.5 billion. Now he could be poised to do much the same to today’s cable, satellite, and telecom players by providing a cheaper alternative to the broadband services they currently offer. “Filling a need that others aren’t addressing has always been a focus of the companies that I have been involved with,” McCaw says.

Not so long ago, McCaw’s WiMAX gambit seemed less threatening to the entrenched players. There were no industrywide standards for mobile WiMAX, so the equipment was too expensive to roll out on a large scale. But last year the industry adopted the long-awaited standards, which helped bring Motorola and Intel into the game. Add McCaw’s control of one of the biggest chunks of WiMAX spectrum, and he seems well positioned.

The cable guys and telcos profess themselves unfazed by McCaw’s WiMAX ambitions. But you can easily imagine people preferring to subscribe to a Clearwire service that allows them online access anywhere rather than one that restricts them to their home. What’s more, because WiMAX infrastructure is so much cheaper to build than traditional networks, Clearwire can likely afford to offer a nationwide mobile service for as little as $25 a month. Suddenly, paying $60 for Verizon Wireless’ (VZ ) Broadband-Access service looks a lot less attractive.

This is not just a question of luring away rivals’ subscribers, either. McCaw’s WiMAX play also could put in jeopardy the billions of dollars the telcos and cable companies are investing to make their broadband networks faster and more reliable. For example, Verizon is spending $20 billion to $40 billion to roll out fiber-optic lines to homes over the next 10 or so years. Meanwhile, the cellular carriers have spent comparable amounts on so-called 3rd Generation networks that are supposed to let subscribers watch “real-time” TV on their phones, among other things. WiMAX won’t necessarily make these investments redundant, but it could provide enough competition to make it hard for the carriers to recoup the billions spent.

DEFENSIVE MOVES
So is no one standing in McCaw’s way? Well, some of the key players are already making moves that could fend him off. The cellular carriers are working with PC makers to extend their broadband business beyond phones. Business commuters already are snapping up new plug-in modem cards that allow them to get online anywhere. Verizon Wireless and its ilk also have been cutting prices on both the cards and monthly broadband subscriptions.

And in November, Comcast (CMCSA ), Time Warner Cable (TWX ), Cox Communications, and Advance/Newhouse Communications cut a deal with Sprint Nextel Corp. (S ), the only other company with nationwide WiMAX spectrum. The partnership allows the cable guys to offer cellular phone service, key to competing with the telcos. But they also could resell Sprint Nextel’s WiMAX service or even buy some of its spectrum. “The [Sprint] deal lets cable providers keep their options open as far as wireless goes,” says Charles S. Golvin, an analyst for Forrester Research Inc. (FORR )

Then again, Clearwire is already forging strategic partnerships of its own. AOL, for example, resells the company’s WiMax service. Meanwhile, satellite provider DirecTV Group Inc. (DTV ) has expressed interest in WiMAX as a way to compete with the cable companies and telcos. And despite Sprint-Nextel’s deal with the cable guys, it would be premature to rule out a partnership between that company and Clearwire. Neither can offer complete national coverage, so they might be forced into some kind of a roaming WiMAX agreement.

With his enviable track record, vast spectrum holdings, and now huge war chest, McCaw’s Second Act is already well under way.

This article is from Business Week. If you found it informative and valuable, we strongly encourage you to visit their website and register an account to view all their articles on the web. Support quality journalism.