Clearwire Corp - Class A

Clearwire Corp builds wireless networks intended primarily to provide Internet access to consumers and businesses. The firm was formed in 2008 via the merger of 'Old' Clearwire, a firm founded in 2003 to build wireless networks and certain assets from Sprint Nextel. These assets included wireless spectrum and network equipment that Sprint had intended for use in building wireless networks based on WiMAX, a fairly new wireless standard designed to offer data, rather than phone, services. At the time of Clearwire's creation, it received approx $3.2 billion investment from a group of investors that includes cable companies Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks and technology firms Google and Intel. These funds will be used to finance network expansion. Sprint owns more than half of Clearwire via its interest in a subsidiary that holds all of Clearwire's assets. Intel is the firm's second largest shareholder, with a 13% stake. Clearwire's networks currently cover territories with a combined population of about 20 million people. Most of these networks were built by the original Clearwire using a pre-standards version of WiMAX technology. All current construction is entirely WiMAX based and Clearwire plans to upgrade older networks to WiMAX over the next two years. The firm owns wireless spectrum capable of covering most of the U.S. population and networks currently under construction will allow it to serve about 75 million people. Clearwire is in the initial stages of building networks covering an addition 45 million people. Wireless services are provided using a wireless modem or PC card, which customers can either buy or lease from the company. Clearwire's Internet access service offers download speeds of up to 2 megabits per second (Mbps) in markets with older technology and 4 Mbps in areas served with WiMAX. The firm markets its service directly to customers and will also resell services through Sprint and its cable investors. Clearwire competes with phone and cable companies for Internet access customers. It also competes with wireless carriers that offer data services over their existing networks. Both AT&T and Verizon Wireless, the two largest carriers in the U.S., have announced plans to deploy networks based on LTE, an alternative next-generation wireless standard that is still in development.