Sprint announced Xohm mobile Internet business agreements involving web portal services and WiMAX network access devices. The company also named an advertising agency of record to help launch the Xohm brand in the United States.
A soft launch of Xohm mobile Internet service is underway with employees in Chicago, Baltimore and Washington D.C. in preparation for commercial WiMAX service launch beginning later this year in select U.S. cities.
“Sprint is delivering on its Open Internet vision with exciting and differentiated WiMAX services,” explained Barry West, president of Sprint’s Xohm business unit. “The new service agreements and device commitments will help Xohm subscribers access, enjoy, store and secure personal digital and user-generated content while experiencing new device innovation.”
Xohm Portal services partnerships
Amdocs of St. Louis, Mo., the leading provider of customer experience systems, has been awarded a multi-year agreement for software and services in support of the launch and operations of Xohm mobile Internet. This includes building and maintaining the Xohm Internet portal, customer relationship management, service activation and provisioning, and billing operations.
SwapDrive of Washington D.C., a leading provider of online data backup, access and sharing services, is providing a hosted storage solution where Xohm subscribers can secure, organize, manage and access all their user-generated digital content though the Xohm portal from any device with a supported browser.
eTelecare Global Solutions of Scottsdale, Ariz., a leading provider of complex business process outsourcing (BPO) solutions, is providing voice and e-support customer care services.
McAfee Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., the leading dedicated security technology company, will implement online security products for PCs used on the Xohm WiMAX network.
WiMAX Embedded Device momentum
OQO of San Francisco, an industry pioneer in mobile personal computing, intends to embed WiMAX wireless capability in an ultra mobile PC (UMPC) in 2008.
ASUSTek of Taiwan, a leading provider of 3C (computer, communications, consumer electronics) total solutions, plans to produce a line of WiMAX-embedded devices for availability during 2008.
Zyxel Inc. of Anaheim, Calif. and chip supplier Sequans have announced a collaboration to produce a WiMAX modem subscriber device for mobile Internet data and voice services, which will debut with the launch of commercial Xohm service.
Advertising agency partner selected
Soho Square, a WPP company, has been named advertising agency of record to help launch the Xohm brand in North America. As part of this relationship, Xohm will leverage resources from a wide range of WPP companies including Ogilvy and Mindshare/GroupM.
Xohm WiMAX from Sprint is designed to mobilize the Internet, bring wireless innovation to devices and deliver new mobile multimedia applications to consumers, businesses and local governments. Customers will be able to experience new forms of interactive communications, high speed mobile Internet browsing, social networking tools, local and location-centric products and services and multimedia services. For additional information visit www.xohm.com
ABOUT SPRINT NEXTEL
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving about 54 million customers at the end of the third quarter 2007; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.