Best Buy deal just the beginning of Clearwire's wholesale ambitions

Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) is adding 4G to its new mobile broadband service, thanks to Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR). The big-box electronics retailer is the first company other than a Clearwire investor to sign up as a virtual operator on Clearwire’s WiMax network. But according to the company, Best Buy won't be the last.

“We’ve always had wholesale as part of our strategy since we formed in 2008,” said Teresa Elder, president of strategic partnerships and wholesale for Clearwire.”We wanted to become a network of networks. At first we focused on making sure our partners were taken care of, but this was always the plan.”

Best Buy was a logical customer for Clearwire’s 4G given its huge role in selling wireless broadband devices and services around the country, Elder said. Best Buy announced plans to launch its own branded mobile broadband service using Clearwire part-owner Sprint’s (NYSE:S) 3G EV-DO network. The separate agreement with Clearwire will extend that service to the WiMax network in 2011, when Clearwire is expected to have 120 million pops covered, over a third of the U.S. population.

There’s no word yet on what kind of devices Best Buy will offer over the WiMax network, but if it sticks with the format it’s detailed on its Web site for 3G service, it will most likely offer laptop, netbook and USB modem plans, though possibly offering unlimited usage over 4G, just as Clearwire and Sprint do today. The possibility remains open that Best Buy or another mobile virtual operator could launch handsets over the Clearwire network, providing the voice component through voice over IP or through a 2G-3G partner like Sprint. Clearwire itself will be launching its own handsets this year using the Sprint network for voice.

Elder said Clearwire could support any type of compatible device or service. The fact that Best Buy isn’t a telecom or cable company like Sprint, Comcast or Time Warner shows that Clearwire is expanding its business model beyond supplying the 4G component to existing 3G or broadband services. “This demonstrates interest in our service outside of the traditional service providers,” Elder said.