Clearwire

Wireless operator Clearwire's fourth-quarter results were fairly disappointing, but at least its longer term prospects are starting to brighten.

The company, which supplies Sprint Nextel with 4G WiMax wireless service, reported a fourth-quarter loss of $236.8 million, or 81 cents a share, compared with a year-ago loss of $128 million, or 79 cents a share.

Revenue, however, more than doubled to $361.9 million as the company started picking itself up off the mat.

Wall Street analysts were looking for Clearwire to lose 35 cents a share and post revenue of $356.7 million. The company released its revenue and customer growth figures early. … Read more

It appears Clearwire's got some of its confidence back.

The 4G WiMax service provider has released select preliminary results from its fourth quarter, including revenue that was double that of a year ago--$362 million, compared with the year-ago $181 million. The upswing was primarily driven by growth in its wholesale business.

The figure exceeded analysts' average estimate of $355 million in revenue for the period, according to a survey taken by Thomson Reuters.

Clearwire is likely breathing a sigh of relief after several months of uncertainty over its ability to obtain the needed financing to continue its operations, … Read more

Sprint Nextel is looking to get its 4G LTE rolled out sooner, rather than later.

Sprint plans to launch its 4G LTE service, part of its Network Vision upgrade plan, in 10 markets by the first half of the year. That includes major cities including Dallas (AT&T's headquarters), San Antonio, Houston, and Atlanta, CEO Dan Hesse said today during an investor conference. The event was Webcast.

The timing adds a little specificity to its 4G LTE plans. The company previously said it expects to launch the service by midsummer. Sprint, which has for years relied on Clearwire'… Read more

Dish Network is sitting pretty right now.

The demise of AT&T's $39 billion deal to acquire T-Mobile leaves AT&T in a vulnerable position, that of a company in need of wireless spectrum but with few sources from whom to acquire it.

Verizon Wireless has only exacerbated the dilemma with its own move to acquire spectrum held by the cable providers, which shores up its own position. The broadcasters, meanwhile, have been sitting on a stash of spectrum and have been fighting attempts by the Federal Communications Commission to repurpose it for the wireless industry.

AT&… Read more

Clearwire shareholders and customers can breathe a sigh of relief now.

The wholesale 4G network provider said today it raised $734 million in its latest stock offering, shoring up its cash position just as it was facing potential issues meeting its financial obligations. The funds include $402.5 million from the stock offering, and another $331.4 million from Sprint Nextel, its largest customer and shareholder.

The funding prevented Clearwire from potentially missing out on a debt payment, a threat the company laid out publicly during its negotiations with Sprint. The company initially planned a $300 million stock offering, but … Read more

Clearwire expects to raise $350 million in its stock offering next week, an increase over its previous plans to raise $300 million.

The money-losing mobile broadband provider and wholesaler plans to sell 175 million Class A shares at $2 in an offering expected to close on December 13, the company said in a statement today. Clearwire said it plans to use the proceeds from the offering to continue to operate and upgrade its existing WiMax network to a newer technology called LTE.

Sprint Nextel, the majority shareholder in Clearwire, will buy about 172 million shares of the company's Class … Read more

Clearwire is on its way to shoring up its coffers.

The mobile broadband provider and wholesaler said it is planning a public stock offering of $300 million. It's unclear how many shareholders are willing to re-up on a stock that has fallen 60 percent this year.

The funds are critical to Clearwire's continued ability to operate and upgrade its existing WiMax network to a newer technology called LTE. Last week, Sprint Nextel swooped in and saved the company by committing up to $1.6 billion in financing. Sprint, along with being the majority shareholder, is also Clearwire's … Read more

Cable providers Comcast and Time Warner Cable will stop reselling Clearwire's 4G wireless service following their agreement to hand off their unused mobile spectrum to Verizon Wireless for $3.6 billion, CNET has learned.

Part of the Verizon deal gives the cable companies the right to resell Verizon's wireless service, which will become the cable providers' exclusive partner once the spectrum aspect of the agreement goes through, said Time Warner Cable spokesman Alexander Dudley.

Both companies will slowly wind down their Clearwire business over the next six months, and plan to move their existing customers to other options. … Read more

Clearwire made good on a $237 million interest payment due today and announced it has finalized a funding and resale agreement with Sprint Nextel worth up to $1.6 billion to keep the company afloat.

For months, Clearwire's future has been anything but clear as the company scrambled to line up cash to fund daily operations and finish a nationwide 4G wireless network. Last month, the company said it might miss its scheduled debt payment due to its tight financial situation. It had been unclear whether Sprint, Clearwire's largest investor and also its biggest wholesale customer, would bail … Read more