ClearWire brings 4G to central Pennsylvania

ClearWire will give media in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading and York a preview of its 4G wireless service on April 30. The company is rolling out the next-generation WiMax network in Central Pennsylvania after building service in the greater Philadelphia metro region since 2009 and more recently in Pittsburgh, through partner Sprint. ClearWire’s CLEAR service delivers speeds comparable to DSL
connections, with average mobile download speeds of 3 to 6 mbps and
bursts over 10 mbps.

Verizon is now piloting its 4G network in Boston and Seattle. Nationally, over two dozen cities are anticipating super-fast broadband soon. That spells a trend that one observer says central Pennsylvania needs to join.

“All the major carriers are going to the next generation–4G. The communications industry will spend $100 billion this year and we need to make Pennsylvania attractive for that investment,” argues Kelly Lewis, CEO of TECHQuest .

How to accomplish that? “Long term, we need to change public policies. Short-term, we have to make sure we bang the drum,” says Lewis, whose group negotiated $7.9 million in broadband contracts for instate organizations in 2008 and 2009. “We need strategies for rural areas, cities and suburbs.”

Urging the adoption of advanced technology and infrastructures, TECHQuest will host its third annual infrastructure summit on May 20, with policies for 4G on the agenda.

Source: Kelly Lewis, TECHQuest
Writer: Chris O’Toole