Clear last night said it would start trials of LTE (Long Term Evolution) late this year. Tests in Phoenix, Arizona will check the viability of service on the existing 2.5GHz band Clearwire uses for WiMAX. The experiment will also check the possibility of dual-mode LTE and WiMAX devices.
Clearwire still intends to use WiMAX for its current expansion and is adamant that LTE would be a complement to the primarily Intel made wireless technology, not a replacement. The provider has repeatedly said its network is flexible and has considered LTE primarily a hedge to support more devices and prevent problems if WiMAX doesn’t catch on.
