Dual-Mode WiMAX, EV-DO Modem Coming from Sprint

One of the sticking points with Clear’s national WiMAX product is the lack of geographic coverage. At the moment, you can officially use the product in Baltimore, and it works great when you have a signal. Come January 6th, 2009, you’ll be able to use the Clear service in Portland as well. What about the vast stretches of land in between? Sprint, a co-owner of the Clear WiMAX service, has the answer.

The cellular carrier is set to off a dual-mode modem that works with both 3G and 4G wireless services: EV-DO and WiMAX. The U300 modem will set customers back $149.99 after a $50 rebate and a two-year contract commitment. That solves the coverage situation as Sprint’s EV-DO footprint is large in the U.S. From a monthly cost perspective, expect another $20 a month for the privilege of surfing on 3G or 4G: the add-on to the standard Sprint wireless broadband plan is $79.99 a month.