Sprint to test WiMax in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Sprint is set to launch its wireless WiMax mobile data network as a test case in Baltimore, the company said.

The system, designed for laptops and home computers, requires an access card but has the potential to turn entire cities and even countries into "hot spots," USA Today reported.

The service is expected to cost $10 a day or $35 a month. The access card will cost about $45, the report said.

Its major benefit is speed and capacity. The pilot program in Baltimore will deliver 2 megabits to 4 megabits of information per second with surfing speeds up to 10 megabits or more, Sprint said.

By comparison, the 3G wireless network AT&T provides for the Apple iPhone averages 1.4 megabits, the report said.

Sprint is expected to merge its WiMax operations with Clearwire and, eventually, create a seamless network that covers the entire United States, the newspaper reported.