Sprint Rumored to be Teaming Up with Walmart for WiMax Build Out

Posted 01/13/2010 at 12:20pm | by Bart Salisbury

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Rumors are hit-and-miss, but this one from AndroidGuys has potential because of its underlying logic. Sprint plans to roll out a new WiMax handset. Neat, except you need a WiMax network, which Sprint, at present, doesn’t really have. To make it nationwide, which is a given in today’s mobile communication market, you have to start construction on towers, and soon. Location is easy, but accessibility and cost are different matters. And if you want it quick, you’re faced with another problem. The solution: make use of something that already exists.

For Sprint, so the rumor goes, the solution is Walmart. Walmart has better than 3,000 stores scattered across the United States, many within 30-50 miles of each other. And each provides an already developed site on which to build--just toss up a tower on the roof and call it good. Better yet, Sprint would only have one landlord to deal with. How simple is that?

Logically, it makes sense. Sprint would get a ready construction framework for building out its Wi-Max network--one that provides a lot of the national reach it will need. And Walmart is always looking to make yet another dollar, so is probably willing to do the deal, if the price is right. Better yet, you'll always know where to get the best reception for your WiMax phone--just park yourself at the nearest Walmart. (Whether you go in or not is of your own choosing.)

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