Sprint goes Supersonic with new WiMAX phone

by Stevie Smith - Mar 18 2010, 12:59

Already in the headlines after announcing the network adoption of Google’s Nexus One mobile phone, heavyweight U.S. telecommunications provider Sprint Nextel is also thought to be paving the way for the release of its first WiMAX handset.

According to a Wall Street Journal report citing unnamed industry sources, Kansas-based Sprint is preparing to formally announce that the HTC Supersonic phone (essentially a tweaked HD2) will soon be available with support through the company’s Clearwire-operated WiMAX network.

Although an actual retail street date was not forthcoming from the report’s anonymous sources, indications suggest the HTC device could be unveiled as early as next week and is likely to launch onto the market before the close of summer.

With mobile consumers becoming increasingly demanding, current high-speed 3G-wireless broadband will soon be superseded by the likes of WiMax technology and/or the competing LTE (Long Term Evolution) platform – which can push speeds of up to 150Mbit/s.

A related Reuters report claims Sprint will debut the new WiMAX handset during an official press event at the annual CTIA Wireless trade show, which kicks off on March 23 in Las Vegas.

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