Sprint: "We're creating a platform for innovation"

Sprint Nextel's senior vice president, mobile broadband operations Atish Gude believes that the company's forthcoming WiMAX network will be a big hit with content providers and enterprises.

Gude, who spoke with FierceWireless prior to his keynote address today at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment show, said that he believes Sprint is creating a platform for innovations that will give content companies the opportunity to really leverage the wireless Internet. "There will be more content to develop and more devices to use to access that content," Gude said. "The market will dictate the content. Not the carrier."

Likewise, Gude says Sprint's WiMAX network will benefit enterprises because the open environment will allow more enterprise applications to be available. Specifically, he envisions companies being able to better incorporate LBS, security and device management apps into their mobile enterprise agenda. "When all these new applications are enabled it will change how we do business by improving productivity," Gude said.

Sprint will not block VOIP applications and initially it will offer fixed VOIP over the WiMAX network, Gude said. In addition, once the company's WiMAX coverage area is sufficient (within the first 12 months), it will also offer mobile VOIP. -Sue