Cisco to supply Clearwire with WiMax devices and networking equipment

Cisco to supply Clearwire with WiMax devices

NEW YORK — Clearwire Corp., which is building a nearly nationwide wireless data network, said Wednesday that Cisco Systems Inc. has agreed to make devices that can use that network. Clearwire has its new WiMax network up and running in Baltimore and Portland, Ore., but it doesn’t have a lot of devices that can use the network apart from USB modems for laptops.

Cisco said it would launch a WiMax device before the end of the year under the Linksys brand, aimed at consumers and small businesses. It didn’t specify what it would be, but given that Linksys is a big maker of routers, the new device could be a Wi-Fi router than connects to the Internet through WiMax.

Clearwire will also buy network equipment from Cisco, the world’s largest maker of such gear. That announcement continues a trend of hardware suppliers agreeing to supply Clearwire with WiMax devices when they get contracts for network equipment.

Nokia Corp. made a version of its N810 tablet computer for Sprint Nextel Corp.’s WiMax network, which was later merged into Clearwire, after Nokia Siemens Networks got an equipment order. With Samsung Electronics Co. and Motorola Corp. now the main suppliers of Clearwire’s wireless network equipment, Nokia has discontinued its tablet.

Instead, Samsung has announced plans to make a WiMax tablet for Clearwire.

WiMax, which has been likened to a long-range version of Wi-Fi, provides somewhat faster data speeds than current cellular broadband networks. Clearwire charges $50 per month for unlimited data usage on a laptop, or $10 for a day.

The company plans to extend WiMax coverage to Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Las Vegas, Seattle, Honolulu and Charlotte, N.C., this year, with more major cities following next year.