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Clearwire Corp. has announced a major step toward application development for mobile Internet plans with its WiMAX Innovation Network, which initially will cover more than 20 square miles in Silicon Valley and bring 4G wireless service to leading technology companies, including early participants Google Inc. and Intel Corp. Cisco Systems will provide core Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) infrastructure equipment. Clearwire expects the service to be available to developers by late summer, giving them a head start on commercial service launching in the Bay Area in 2010.  

“The WiMAX Innovation Network will provide some of the world’s most talented developers with a live test environment in which to build broadband services specifically designed for the 4G mobile Internet experience,” said Scott Richardson, chief strategy officer for Clearwire. “Our goals have always been to change the way people access the Internet and provide new opportunities for mobile applications. Providing early access to an eager pool of developers while we continue to roll out 4G services nationally makes perfect sense.”

“The Cisco IP NGN architecture will play a key role in the WiMAX Innovation Network,” said Larry Lang, vice president and general manager of services and mobility business unit, Cisco. “An IP network is the platform to deliver on the promise of mobility and enable developers to create new services and applications. With an advanced Cisco IP NGN, these services can be unlocked to create revenue-generating offerings for service providers and a better, more tailored experience for the end user.”

“As we shift to an unwired, always connected Internet, new WiMAX-enabled notebooks and netbooks from Intel are available today that provide the power to deliver data-intensive applications and services on the go with new WIMAX networks,” said Sriram Viswanathan, vice president of Intel Capital and general manager of the WiMAX Program Office, Intel. “We look forward to seeing what developers on this Innovation Network create to help accelerate and test the limits of WiMAX wireless broadband technology.”

Service will be provided free to a limited number of qualified developers for one year. Clearwire will provide WiMAX USB Modems for $49.99. To qualify, developers must register for Clearwire’s developer program and describe the products or business ideas they wish to pursue. Interested developers can pre-register at http://innovation.clear.com.

In addition to the mobile WiMAX network in the Bay Area, Clearwire expects to launch its Clear 4G mobile Internet service covering up to 120 million people in more than 80 cities in 2010, including Atlanta, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Philadelphia, and Seattle in 2009.