Clearwire adds Huawei to WiMax vendor mix

Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR) today rounded out its 4G network infrastructure suppliers with the addition of Huawei Technologies. The Chinese vendor joins Motorola (NYSE:MOT), Samsung, Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO), Ciena (NASDAQ:CIEN) and DragonWave in providing radio access network (RAN) equipment for Clear, Clearwire’s 4G mobile broadband rollout across the United States.

Clearwire has been gradually releasing the names of its vendors of choice for its 4G build-out. Along with Motorola and Samsung, Huawei will be Clearwire’s primary RAN vendor and will also provide the base stations and other key infrastructure. Clearwire had previously tapped Cisco Systems to build its IP core, Amdocs for billing, mediation and customer management services and Mformation for its device management platform supplier. Ciena provides base station switching for Clearwire, and DragonWave and Motorola supply the network’s microwave backhaul transport.

The deal also marks the first time for both Clearwire and Huawei to deploy a multi-carrier four-transport base station, a fourth-generation product for Huawei. According to Charlie Chen, senior vice president of marketing and product management for Huawei USA, the company has already shipped 1.5 million receivers and has helped build 45 WiMax networks worldwide. 

Clearwire’s multi-year mobile broadband build-out is a massive project, but is so far only deployed in four markets, including Baltimore, Portland and Las Vegas, with an additional 50 markets in the US and Europe equipped for pre-WiMax. The company plans to use its spectrum to bring Clear WiMax service to major metropolitan areas across the US, but is also targeting smaller US cities along the way. Most recently it diverged from its roll-out plan to upgrade 10 small, pre-WiMax cities, primarily in Texas, to true mobile WiMax in hopes of bolstering its footprint.