Comcast to Roll Out WiMAX service + Offer laptop card: Portland, OR now, other cities later this year

The new service, called "Comcast High-Speed 2go," is expected to deliver data to laptops, netbooks and other devices over a wireless network at faster speeds than has been commonly available to date.

Comcast said it will offer download speeds of up to 4 megabits per second. Existing 3G wireless networks typically offer download speeds between 1 and 1.5 megabits a second.

Cablevision Systems Corp offers mobile Internet service via Wi-Fi, a short range service typically limited to a home, restaurant or "hotspot." The operator is providing Wi-Fi service to its digital subscribers throughout its market in the New York metropolitan area.

Comcast High-Speed 2go launches officially in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday and is expected to expand to Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia before the end of the year, Comcast said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE55S50220090629

Comcast to Offer WiMAX Cards for Laptops

Comcast Corp. said it would market a wireless broadband card for laptops starting in Portland, Ore., in what it is billing as a prelude to a wider wireless rollout.

The broadband card will operate on tje CLEAR WiMAX network, run by Clearwire Corp., which already offers a similar service in the region and in which Comcast invested $1 billion last year. The service will use so-called 4G technology capable of delivering download speeds of four megabits per second.

The Portland rollout marks the '"first step" in a larger launch, said Cathy Avgiris, general manager for wireless and voice services at Comcast. Ms. Avgiris said Comcast will expand the service to include other wireless devices, like cellphones, and introduce it in other cities, but declined to comment on a time frame for the expansion.

The service has limitations and is meant to complement rather than replace Comcast's broadband service, Ms. Avgiris said. "There are issues with indoor penetration, and with coverage you sacrifice speed," she said.

The regional wireless service is on promotion for $49.95 a month for a year and includes Comcast's Internet home service and a Wi-Fi router. The regular price is about $73 a month.

Through the Clearwire venture, cable companies like Comcast and Time Warner Cable Inc., which invested $550 million in Clearwire alongside Comcast, are trying to beat their phone rivals to the market.

Comcast Pricing for bundled services:

New customers signing up for Comcast's triple play bundle of TV, phone, and Internet can add the 4G wireless component for $30 extra a month. So with the introductory price of $99 a month for the first year, the total would be $130 a month. After the first year, that bundle increases to $130 per month, so it would cost subscribers with the 4G wireless service $160 a month.

For subscribers who want more ubiquitous coverage, Comcast is offering a 3G/4G service that provides wireless connectivity on the Clearwire 4G network when it is available and on Sprint Nextel's 3G wireless service in other areas where 4G is not available. The cost of this service is an additional $20 per month.

Existing Comcast customers can add the new service for $30 more a month to their existing packages. And they can add the nationwide access with 3G access for $20 more per month.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10275324-94.html
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Comment and Analysis:

Finally, we have the first real MVNO for CLEAR (I don't count Sprint as an MVNO in Baltimore, because Xohm was originally their native service, which was transferred to the new Clearwire). Offering of WiMAX cards for laptops is very important for mobility- you don't need to take an external modem/USB Dongle along with your laptop in order to access the service.

The Comcast pricing for High-Speed 2go beats Verizon Wireless’ EVDO based 3G wireless Internet, which offers speeds ranging from 600kbps to1.4Mpbs and a 5GB cap ($.05 per MB after) for $59.95 per month.

Comcast intends to launch the CLEAR based MVNO service in Chicago, Atlanta, and Philadelphia by the end of 2009. That will track Clearwire's roll-outs, which will cover Las Vegas (now in pre-launch), Charlotte, Dallas, and Honolulu later this year.

This bold move beats LTE to market and gives Comcast a competitive edge over both cablecos and cellcos (including Sprint) in the rapidly changing U.S. wireless market.