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Cricket to use Clearwire’s 4G LTE network
15 March 2012
Leap Wireless subsidiary Cricket to use US WiMax operator’s capacity off-load services for LTE network
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Cricket
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US operator Cricket Communications has signed a five-year wholesale deal to use Clearwire’s new LTE network. Clearwire’s network will offer capacity offload services to support the existing LTE network of Cricket, which is a pay-as-you-go subsidiary of Leap Wireless.
Doug Hutcheson, president and CEO of Leap Wireless, said: “We believe this agreement with Clearwire provides us with an attractive option to supplement our own LTE build-out strategy and gives us the flexibility to access additional 4G capacity where needed as data-centric devices continue to become more popular.”
According to Clearwire, Cricket intends to cover up to 25 million people in the US with LTE technology in 2012, deploying LTE over about two-thirds of its network presence over the coming two or three years.
Erik Prusch, president and CEO of Clearwire, said: “The beginning of our long-term wholesale partnership with Cricket is a key step forward in the development of Clearwire's wholesale LTE business model.”
Cricket is the second operator to opt for the Clearwire network after Sprint, which is Clearwire’s biggest shareholder and has a deal to access Clearwire’s WiMax service and use its LTE network for support.
Prusch said that Clearwire will “provide Cricket with additional mobile broadband resources to supplement their own LTE build in order to deliver a robust 4G experience for their customers and we continue to actively seek new opportunities to serve the needs of other 4G providers.”
Leap Wireless earlier entered into an arrangement allowing Cricket to supplement its planned LTE coverage with roaming services from Philip Falcone’s LightSquared. However, LightSquared’s plans appear to be on hold after opposition from the GPS industry. GTB
Further reading from Global Telecoms Business:
Sprint comes to aid of struggling Clearwire 02 Dec 2011
Sprint and Clearwire to extend network deal 28 Oct 2011
Sprint reduces voting rights in Clearwire 09 Jun 2011
Clearwire names interim chief amid reshuffle 11 Mar 2011
Clearwire to raise $536m for expansion 02 Mar 2011