Clearwire to offer its own VoIP service

Wireless broadband provider Clearwire is getting into the VoIP business, teaming up with Nortel to offer a SIP-based IP voice service from its own infrastructure. The move into voice is a expansion beyond Clearwire's traditional broadband offering, although Clearwire has offered VoIP as a reseller in many of the markets it operates in. Clearwire was founded by cellular pioneer Craig McCaw in 2003 and operates mainly in the U.S. but also in several European markets  using a pre-WiMAX infrastructure. 

Nortel's Application Server 5200 and Communication Server 2000 will power the service with the application server acting as the conduit for switched calls into the IP network. Calls to Clearwire customers will be delivered through Clearwire's wireless technology.

The move to bundle Clearwire's wireless broadband service with its own VoIP offering underlines the problems for the pure play providers such as Vonage who find themselves increasingly squeezed by providers like Clearwire and now AT&T with established customer bases and marketing channels. The infrastructure play also readies Clearwire for the increasing convergence of fixed and mobile communications, a trend Clearwire believes it can clearly win from.  

For More:
- Nortel Press Release
[1]- Clearwire Breaks Into VOIP Market Article [2]

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Clearwire launches VoIP in Texas Report [3]
It's been a big week for wireless with a new WiMAX service announced [4]