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Sprint may help fund Clearwire's LTE transition

Sprint may help fund Clearwire's LTE transition

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Sprint has announced it intends make a private note offering to secure funds for various purposes like paying off outstanding debt, expanding its own network, and perhaps most importantly, "potential funding of Clearwire Corporation"

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Dan Hesse
Dan Hesse

It was just three days ago that we pointed out that Clearwire needed to sort out its business relationship with Sprint in a big hurry if it wanted to secure its long-term future. Today, we have a sign that is likely to happen, as Sprint has announced it intends make a private note offering to secure funds for various purposes like paying off outstanding debt, expanding its own network, and perhaps most importantly, "potential funding of Clearwire Corporation."

Sprint has embarked on an aggressive transition from WiMAX to LTE for 4G services by 2013. In order to achieve that transition, the carrier will need help from third parties like Clearwire to ensure it has LTE coverage across the country. During its "Strategy Update" detailing those plans last month, Sprint pointed out it had partnered with another LTE provider, LightSquared. There had been a question about whether Clearwire, which has long provided WiMAX to Sprint, would be left out in the cold after Sprint's LTE transition.

Clearwire's own planned LTE transition was "subject to additional funding." Assuming Sprint makes good on using its newly acquired proceeds on more than just paying off debts, it looks like Clearwire may get what it needs. That should mean that Sprint customers will get what they need in 2013: LTE.