Sprint delays XOHM WiMAX, pushes back 'later this year' later still

Citing troubles in setting up backhaul connections, Sprint said its XOHM WiMAX service will not see widespread commercial availability until "later this year."

As the first company attempting a major WiMAX deployment in the United States, Sprint's service has seen its share of doubt from analysts and consumers alike, citing the company's budget problems in operating three separate networks, and instability in upper management.

But Sprnt has persisted, initiating soft launches in three markets: Chicago, Washington DC, and Baltimore, which were expected to be the first areas with full commercial rollouts "later this year."

Yesterday's reiteration of this phrase without specificity in announcing XOHM's delay leads the observer to believe even this year may be too early for a rollout.

XOHM's success in these areas will determine the future of the service nationwide.

Partnerships with hardware manufacturers have provided Sprint with a pleasing amount of portable devices supporting XOHM, and partnerships with Google, Clearwire, and reported interest from cable companies give the service plenty to fall back upon if it doesn't succeed under the leadership of Sprint.