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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Clearwire Brings Wireless Broadband Internet Service to Midland, Frees Customers from Confines of Traditional Internet AccessHigh-Tech Company Announces Partnership With High Sky Children’s Ranch to Enrich the Lives of Midland Youth
MIDLAND , Texas (June 24, 2005) — Clearwire officially launched its wireless broadband Internet service in Midland today when company and community leaders cut through a ribbon of coaxial cable and telephone cord at a celebratory luncheon at Midland College. Midland is the second market in Texas to receive the company’s innovative service, behind Abilene which launched in December, and the company plans to continue its expansion by offering service in Odessa soon. The company celebrated its launch in Midland by announcing a local partnership with High Sky Children’s Ranch. “Midland now has a better choice for broadband Internet service that’s simple, affordable and flexible,” said John Elliott, Clearwire’s general manager for Midland. “Clearwire will break down the barriers of traditional broadband service, offering consumers high-speed Internet service without wires,” added Bill Snoeberger, Clearwire’s vice president of small markets. Snoeberger, Elliott, Midland College President Dr. David Daniel, Midland Councilman Berry Simpson and High Sky Children’s Ranch Chairman Steve Berrones then cut through the cables with several pair of large wire cutters. Clearwire also announced its new local partnership with High Sky Children’s Ranch, making the Midland area youth organization the company’s first official customer. Clearwire will provide High Sky Children’s Ranch with broadband-speed Internet access for its staff offices as well as for every teaching family home at its facility, allowing all members of those families to benefit from high-speed Internet access for the first time. “Clearwire believes in supporting community organizations dedicated to building stronger communities and easing the burden or residents facing difficult challenges. Today, we’re proud to announce that Clearwire has formed a local partnership with High Sky Children’s Ranch, making the organization our first customer in Midland,” said Elliott. “We chose High Sky Children’s Ranch because of its unique mission, which focuses on making sure that all children in our community have a safe and loving environment to grow up in. Its mission ties back to our corporate philosophy of supporting organizations that aim to better prepare our youth for the future, and we’re pleased to be partnering with them,” he added. Clearwire deploys a next-generation, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) technology that allows customers to connect to the Internet via a signal sent across the airwaves rather than across wires. The company sends the signal from a transmitter to a specially developed receiver box that plugs into the customer’s computer instead of connecting to traditional coaxial cable or telephone wires. Customers simply plug the receiver into a wall outlet and into their computer to gain high-speed access to the Internet from any room inside or outside the home. It is estimated that at least 70 percent of residences in the U.S. do not currently subscribe to the Internet through a broadband connection because of cost or availability barriers. Clearwire plans an aggressive buildout throughout the United States to offer consumers a simpler, more flexible and cost-effective solution. Tests of the radio receiver show Clearwire provides service at up to 1.5 million bits per second (Mbps), which is comparable to DSL service and 25 times faster than typical dial-up connections. “Clearwire is ‘next-generation broadband’ — broadband Internet service delivered to the consumer in a manner that is easier to get, set up and use than any other option currently offered,” said Elliott. “You can buy the service at select local retailers, take it home, set it up and be online in minutes. It’s plug-and-play installation — no need for a technician to come into your home and no need to load software onto your computer to make it work. In addition, you can move the service from place-to-place inside our coverage area, which allows you to use Clearwire throughout your home, at the office or at your favorite coffee house. As long as you have access to a power source, you can be online.” Clearwire service is currently available to approximately 70,000 households in the Midland area. The service is sold at several authorized retailers in the area, at Clearwire’s sales center at 10 Desta Drive, via phone at 888-CLEARWIRE and online at clearwire.com. Midland is the latest city to receive Clearwire’s service as part of its nationwide expansion. “We chose Midland because it is eager to attract new, progressive companies and a diverse population we believe is ready to embrace new technology,” said Snoeberger. “We’re excited about providing the community reliable, broadband-speed Internet access with flexibility they’ve never had before. Clearwire eliminates the limitations of traditional broadband services, offering a more consumer-friendly Internet experience.” Clearwire is led by Craig McCaw, one of the early pioneers in providing cellular phone service in the U.S. in the early 1980s. His company, McCaw Cellular, grew to be the largest U.S. cellular service provider and was later acquired by AT&T. Clearwire drew national attention in the summer of 2004 when it announced it would deploy wireless broadband technology in select markets across the country. Since then, the company has moved on an aggressive timeline. In late August, Clearwire launched for the first time in Jacksonville, Fla. In late October, computer chip maker Intel announced that it had become a “significant” investor in Clearwire. In addition, Clearwire and Intel announced they were collaborating to develop WiMax technology, which offers greater range and speed than Wi-Fi, a wireless technology popular today in home and office networks. In March 2005, Clearwire announced an alliance with Bell Canada making Bell Canada Clearwire’s exclusive strategic partner for VoIP services. As part of the alliance, Bell Canada took a minority equity stake in Clearwire and invested $100 million in the company. In 2004, the company launched service in Abilene, Texas, and St. Cloud, Minn. Earlier this year, the company launched service in Daytona Beach, Fla., Medford, Ore., Modesto, Calif. and Stockton, Calif. About Clearwire |