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Clearwire slows purchases of WiMAX equipment as it turns to wholesale business
Irene Chen, Taipei; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES [Tuesday 2 February 2010]
US-based WiMAX operator Clearwire has become conservative about its purchases of WiMAX equipment due to changes in the company's operating policy, according to sources at Taiwan WiMAX CPE makers. Instead of focusing on retail business, Clearwire is now operating as a wholesaler, leasing its WiMAX network space to telecom and MSOs (multi-system operators), including Spring Nextel, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, the sources noted. Clearwire has so far built its WiMAX networks covering a total population of 30 million, but the number of subscribers to its WiMAX services are still less than one million currently. The slow subscriber growth has pushed Clearwire to shift its policy, the sources asserted. The cable operators such as Comcast may not necessarily purchase WiMAX CPE products through Clearwire's supply chain, and instead could source equipment themselves, the sources added. Some cable operators in the US have already released specifications for the purchase of their WiMAX CPE products to the market which may affect the landscape of the market, commented the sources.
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