Sprint is set to debut its WiMAX high-speed mobile data network called XOHM in Baltimore this month in a move that could revolutionize location-based services.

Other cities are expected to receive service in the fourth quarter and beyond, with most major U.S. cities expected to be in-network by 2010 or 2011. XOHM (pronounced "zoam") WiMAX mobile broadband customers can have information customized for their locations and personalized to their needs with new Sprint ecosystem agreements with various brands including Google that help pioneer location-based services for subscribers.

"We're trying to create a new opportunity for customers to have a better mobile experience, and these partners will continue a positive trend toward faster devices, better form factors and more sophisticated location-based services," said Art Spivy, director of content and community services for XOHM, Herndon, VA.

"XOHM will easily and elegantly present valuable location-specific information to help you navigate the world around you more effectively than you can today," he said.

In a related move, the recently formed Clearwire Corp., a combination of Sprint and Clearwire's broadband business, has partnered with Google in a step that may make the search giant's mobile presence stronger (see story).

XOHM and Clearwire will eventually integrate, although the specifics have not been announced.

"There will be a transition period when we'll be merging with Clearwire, and then the combined organization will handle the marketing, among other things," Mr. Spivy said.

"We'll be a separate organization from Sprint, but we'll continue to work closely with them," he said.

Location, location, location
Sprint's XOHM data services will be location-centric, making points of interest near customers' current location easy to identify and access.

This 'geobrowsing' effect provides location context and these unique location and personalization capabilities will customize information for customers.

In the near future, this technology could have an effect on mobile commerce.

Customers with WiMAX-capable devices such as laptops and other portable devices will have location-based information to find businesses, entertainment or events and check weather and traffic to get there.

These customers can search for places of interest, see results plotted on a map, acquire detailed information, get directions and assemble friends conveniently via mobile.

"When you're on the go, XOHM's LBS will find a good restaurant, movie theatre or other business right around you and provide weather, traffic info and directions," Mr. Spivy said.

"All that will come up automatically without having to touch a button, which is a very valuable benefit for our customers," he said.

The location-enabled mobile experience will span a range of devices such as laptops, mobile Internet-enabled handsets, media players, cameras and car navigation technology.

XOHM is enabling Web services application programming interfaces so a broad collection of service developers and device partners can use location to offer increased utility for XOHM members.

XOHM will offer these location capabilities with a corresponding privacy policy to make sure members are informed about how the network will handle their data.

"Geobrowsing is a general theme that we're trying to spread the word about so that people start thinking about content in their community from more of a geocentric standpoint," Mr. Spivy said.

"Our goal is for people to think of mobile browsing as a tool to help them find what's important to them, what's right around them," he said.

At launch, a XOHM portal will offer location-based content from leading brands.

Google will contribute its Local Search capability along with additional features and functionality from Google Maps.

"Google would like to see broadband mobile networks flourish in as open a way as possible and our MO is to be open as possible, to function on many different devices with no required contracts," Mr. Spivy said.

"There are many things we're trying to do to make the user experience better and more open," he said.

Meanwhile, Google and Verizon Wireless are said to be nearing a deal that would add the Internet giant's search interface to the Verizon's mobile devices (see story).

Intel has been planning to add WiMAX to its Centrino platform for quite some time, which would boost demand for wireless broadband services.

"Intel's Centrino is going to be supporting the WiMAX industry, and many new devices will be coming from that chipset," Mr. Spivy said.

Partnerships matter
The primary partner in building XOHM's location-enabled mobile experience is uLocate Communications Inc., which is providing its Where platform and leading friend-finding application Buddy Beacon to connect XOHM customers with their favorite people, places and things.

Through Where, XOHM customers will have access to local information including restaurant reviews, news, events and weather. Select launch partners on the WHERE platform include Yelp, Eventful, Topix, Navteq and AccuWeather.

Yelp Inc., a Web site for local business reviews, provides relevant user reviews and ratings for anything local, including restaurants and doctors.

The reviews can be searched and sorted by category or shown in a map view, with access to Yelp.com for details on any of the three million local reviews.

Eventful Inc. will provide users with listings of local events displayed in a map view.

Customers can select sub-categories of interest, search for events and click through to Eventful.com to get more event information and buy tickets.

Topix LLC will provide local news based on current location as a summary, with an option to read full stories and others at its site.

Navteq will offer XOHM customers real-time local traffic and commuter updates with links to the Traffic.com Web site for additional detailed construction, incident and drive-time information.

AccuWeather will provide three-day forecasts based on users' current locations. A link to the AccuWeather.com mobile Web site gives more forecast details and radar/satellite images.

Openwave Systems Inc. will provide the location platform that enables XOHM partners to use location to provide valuable services.

Autodesk Inc. will provide a standards-based interface and geospatial services, such as addresses, ZIP code and city/state information, to enhance location within the XOHM network.

Comcast and Time Warner are also partners, although their role has not been specified.

"Cable companies want to enter into mobile services," Mr. Spivy said. "They have a strong interest in a viable mobile network they can participate in, and WiMAX gives them that."

Sprint Nextel's two wireless networks were serving nearly 52 million customers at the end of the second quarter 2008, making it the third largest U.S. carrier.

"Our WiMAX network is very solid, so XOHM gives Sprint a path to augment their voice and data network," Mr. Spivy said.

"It was a good decision on Sprint's part, because it gives them some additional options for future location-based data services," he said.

Sprint is working with WiMAX ecosystem partners and others to incorporate WiMAX technology in a range of computing, portable multimedia, interactive and other business and consumer electronic devices.

"We all have a common interest in supporting WiMAX and evangelizing these valuable location-based services and our group is on the cutting edge of that trend," Mr. Spivy said. "There will be millions of devices on our network to make your mobile experience better and make your life easier.

"The scale of this is going to be very large," he said.