A Clearwire Timeline

It has been a long and winding road for wireless broadband operator Clearwire LLC (Nasdaq: CLWR) to try to become the first nationwide mobile WiMax provider in the U.S., and Unstrung has been there along the way.

So join us now for a jaunt into WiMax (and pre-WiMax) history with a timeline that shows how Clearwire got to here from there.

September 2002: First mention in Unstrung of then-local Texas operator Clearwire Technologies Inc. potentially using wireless broadband to provide service. (See IPWireless Flies the TDD Flag.)

March 2004: Wireless pioneer Craig McCaw’s Flux holding company buys Clearwire Holdings.



June 2004: Clearwire Corp. is launched. (See McCaw Launches Clearwire and McCaw Clears the Wires.)

July 2004: In a foreshadowing of things to come, Nextel Partners COO Perry Satterlee takes the same position at Clearwire. (See Nextel COO Joins Clearwire.)

August 2004: Clearwire debuts its fixed wireless broadband, in Jacksonville, Fla. (See Clearwire Launches Service.)

October 2004: Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) partners with Clearwire to develop WiMax while Intel Capital stumps up its first undisclosed investment. (See Intel, Clearwire Do WiMax.)

March 2005: Clearwire hits Canada. (See Bell Canada, Clearwire Form Alliance.)

June 2005: Clearwire buys spectrum (See Clearwire Buys Spectrum.)

August 2005: Clearwire takes its first steps into Europe as it raises $260 million in a debt offering. (See Clearwire Goes European and McCaw's Mystery Millions .)

May 2006: Clearwire files for a $400 million IPO.

July 2006: The operator takes on $900 million in new funding from Intel and sells its NextNet subsidiary to Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT). (See Clearwire Nabs $900M, Nixes IPO.)

December 2006: Clearwire plots another try at an IPO. (See Clearwire Takes Another Cut at IPO.)

February 2007: AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) sells 2.5 GHz spectrum to Clearwire for $300 million.

March 2007: Clearwire floats for $600 million. (See Clearwire's Cash Craving.)

July 2007: Sprint and Clearwire partner on WiMax deployment. (See Clearwire & Sprint Team on WiMax.)

November 2007: The operators terminate their partnership as Sprint’s CEO leaves. (See Sprint Reconsiders WiMax Plans.)

December 2007: Rumors emerge about a new Clearwire-Sprint deal. (See Sprint-Clearwire: On Again in 2008?)

March 2008: Rampant speculation on a new deal continues through the early months of 2008. (See Clearwire Q4 Drops, WiMax News Doesn't.)

May 7, 2008: Clearwire announces a WiMax asset merger with Sprint and a $3.2 billion funding influx from Intel, Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) and Bright House Networks . (See Sprint, Clearwire Form WiMax Giant.)

May 13, 2008: Clearwire says it will expand WiMax service to Atlanta and Las Vegas. (See CLWR: Where It's at With WiMax.)

June 2008: The company says it is looking for European partners. (See Clearwire in Euro Partner Talks.)

July 2008: Clearwire reveals that it will deploy a WiMax overlay for its pre-WiMax network. AT&T tries to block the deal. (See Clearwire’s WiMax Overlay and AT&T Looks to Block Sprint/Clearwire Merger.)

August 2008: Plans solidify for service in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2009. (See MI, MI, CLWR.)

November 4, 2008: FCC approves Sprint-Clearwire asset merger. (See FCC Approves Sprint-Clearwire Deal.)

November 20, 2008: Clearwire shareholders approve asset merger. (See I Can See Clearwire Now.)

November 28, 2008: Clearwire completes Sprint asset merger and gets $3.2 billion in funding. (See Clearwire, Sprint Complete Merger.)

December 1, 2008: Unveils new “Clear” branding, and says it could also use LTE proto-4G technology along with WiMax. (See Clearwire: We Could Use LTE.)

Q1 2009: Mobile WiMax expected to be launched in Portland, Ore.

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Unstrung