Craig McCaw, the elusive wireless pioneer who patched together the country's first wide area network, is at it again. This time, the entrepreneur is launching a wireless broadband service using non-line-of-sight (NLOS) technology.
McCaw, who spoke at the Wireless Communications Association International conference in Washington, D.C., today, acknowledged there have been "a lot of failures" in trying to provide wireless broadband service but he is convinced there is a need for wireless broadband in the last mile.
McCaw's Clearwire is using NLOS technology for trials in Jacksonville, Fla., and St. Cloud, Minn., offering broadband services to compete with cable and wireline phone company services. "Cable and telephone industries have done a good job of putting new reptiles in the moats around their monopoly businesses," McCaw said, referring to regulatory objections those two industries historically have had to competitors trying to offer service in their markets.
McCaw serves as CEO and chairman of Clearwire, a culmination of more than two years of activity that included the acquisition of licensed spectrum in markets throughout the United States and the acquisition of NextNet, developer of non-line-of-sight gear. Clearwire says it will use the NextNet platform modified with its own proprietary technology to power its IP-based wireless network. Clearwire expects to offer commercial service in the initial two markets this summer and expand to other markets in the United States and internationally within the next year.
McCaw made a bundle selling McCaw Communications to AT&T Corp. in 1994 for $11.5 billion and went on to experiment with several companies.
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