Free Republic

Sprint hopes to complete the deal in the same timeframe the Softbank deal is wrapped up The department that handles acquisitions and mergers at Sprint has been very busy lately. Sprint announced that it would be selling a majority stake to Softbank for $20 billion in October. Sprint has also long coveted the wireless spectrum that partner Clearwire holds and uses for wireless internet service. Sprint has made no secret of the fact that it wants to own all of Clearwire. CNBC reports that that Sprint and Clearwire are moving closer to a deal that would see Sprint acquire the reamaining 49%...

"Clearwire has a cooperative agreement with Sprint to build a 4G wireless internet network. When it comes online, it would be the fastest wireless internet network in the country. Naturally other wireless companies are working on their own 4G networks too. Clearwire's major competitor in this capacity is Verizon....."

A telecommunications company has confirmed for this columnist that its vice president for policy—who is also an Obama donor and a former lobbyist—is advising Barack Obama’s transition team on telecom policy.

telecommunications company has confirmed for this columnist that its vice president for policy—who is also an Obama donor and a former lobbyist—is advising Barack Obama’s transition team on telecom policy. Obama’s transition team, which has failed to disclose this executive’s involvement, happens to have proposed a significant change in telecom policy that will profit that very company, called Clearwire. By pushing to delay the long-scheduled transition of television broadcasting from analog signals to digital signals, president-elect Obama is directly aiding Sprint and its partner Clearwire while hurting Verizon. Clearwire’s executive vice president for “Strategy, Policy and External Affairs” is R....

The long-rumored national mobile WiMAX partnership between Sprint and Clearwire is finally official, both companies said today. Sprint will own 51% of the new company, which will be called Clearwire. Google, Intel, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks combined are investing $3.2 billion, based on a $20 estimated per-share price when Clearwire opens on the NASDAQ after the deal’s expected completion later this year. “We’ve made an excellent start developing XOHM WiMAX services. Contributing those advances to a strongly backed new company – in which we’ll hold the largest interest – provides Sprint with additional financial flexibility and...