In a sure sign that broadband service is becoming commoditized, Multichannel News reports today that Best Buy will start selling retail 4G broadband services in 2011. Specifically, Best Buy will become a reseller of Clearwire WiMAX service, making it the first reseller outside of the network company’s cable operator investors.
Clearwire has had a pretty big presence in Best Buy stores to date, but with its own branding on prominent display. The new venture will be branded under Best Buy Connect – the same way Best Buy sells 3G service today.
The good news is, that if Best Buy is getting on board with the Clear WiMAX network, it means they have confidence in Clearwire’s projections for covering up to 120 million people in the biggest US markets by the end of this year. That’s a decent amount of geographic coverage for consumers who want high-speed mobile broadband.
Best Buy also sells Cox, Comcast, and Verizon around here (NoVA), will they be promoting Clear as the “house brand” or is it just another option?
I get my broadband from Charter primarily.
I also have a Sprint Overdrive which uses Clear for 4G and Sprint for 3G.
The problem with Charter: For no apparent reason it goes out on average about once a week. I don’t dare call in as they will focus more on upselling me on services instead of just fixing the problem. Usually the cable comes back in 2-3 hours. It’s stupid.
I’d just switch over to using the Overdrive except:
– it limits me to 5 connections. I have more than 5 devices that want to be connected even though most of them are dormant at anyone time.
– I’m on the edge of 4G which means that I’d normally be using 3G and then I’d have to worry about the 5G cap (if everything was using the Overdrive, which it can’t).
The Overdrive is -so- close to being my main broadband connection. If they’d dump the 5-user limit and make my location better covered for 4G I’d probably just use it as my main/only connection. I keep it because there are times when I need an internet connection and Charter isn’t there.
I should note:
You’re only limited to 5 users on devices that have both 3G and 4G connections. I believe with Clear that some devices allow for up to 8 simultaneous users/connections – check with them (or whatever product you’re looking at) to be sure.
Best Buy is a pain, I went there 4 times, one they told me that Clear was very bad. I did my research and came back, the guy who was there even when he tried to help did not have idea about Clear, he knew less than me, he checked Clerar.com and I end with more doubts than when I went in. Third time, after I really did my research I went there and the guy did not let me buy clear and wanted to sale me the Sprint 4g-3g spot, I leave again. Four time, I went to another best buy where a Clear sales person was there, he went to internet and entered my order.
BUY CLEAR IN THE INTERNET. Going to Best Buy is a waste of time.