There’s a really nice article* in this month’s IEEE Spectrum Magazine about Sprint’s Xohm, which will provide the first WiMAX service in the United States. I’m usually not too excited about this kind of stuff, but I will definitely look into it when it is offered here in Austin. This year they plan on deploying in Chicago, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., followed by New York City.

Perks:

  • 2-4 Mbps, which is 4-8 times faster than 3G.
  • Equipment available will include laptop adapters, mobile phones, and home modems, meaning one service can give you broadband access to your home, give you a WiFi-like hotspot anywhere in the city, and be your mobile phone.
  • Prices are expected to be competitive with DSL.
  • No contracts.

Now we just have to hope WiMAX equipment isn’t too expensive.

*the article isn’t on IEEE Xplore quite yet.