The Clearwire half of the Sprint / Clearwire Merger has activated its first citywide Mobile WiMAX network in Portland. With two cities done there’s still 70-80 to go before the major markets are covered. Maybe Samsung will actually start selling mobile MiMAX devices like those pictured  in the US some day.

Today, Clearwire unveiled the WiMAX network in Portland, Ore., that we covered last month. Portland is the first city to get WiMAX service under the Clear brand since Clearwire closed its WiMAX spectrum merger with Sprint last month. Portland joins Baltimore, Md., as Clearwire’s only pure WiMAX network in the country. (Gigaom)

Sprint seems to be on a roll these days, at least with WiMax. The consumer friendly business model as a network open to all compatible devices, and a no contract subscription make their Xohm service very consumer friendly. Reports on the initial Baltimore network confirm that the offering is working as advertised with a take rate beyond expectations.

Recent comments for Sprint’s CEO include well placed hints that they would be interested in taking WiMax rural if they could get a little USF help. Since the return on USF investment in braodband has yielded less than pathetic results so far, I encourage any honest member of Congress (please tell me there is one) to explore putting some of the pork into rural WiMax by funding non incumbent(s).

Sprint is forming partnerships with other companies to allow all kinds of devices to be sold without service contracts, Hesse said. The WiMAX network will be open to all consumers using a variety of price models, he said. Hesse criticized LTE as suited to the “traditional” business model of the wireless industry. “WiMAX is different,” he said.

WiMAX will allow true broadband in rural areas where building fiber networks would be cost-prohibitive, Hesse said. But he predicted some kind of subsidy or public-private partnership will be required so all Americans can afford and receive service.

The next President should take WiMAX seriously as an alternative for universal broadband services, Hesse said. Expanding fiber networks to rural areas is unlikely since incumbent networks don’t already have wires in the ground, he said.

Hesse cautioned against a Democratic administration enacting “Orwellian” network neutrality regulations, a possibility he called a “great concern” to the wireless industry. Carriers must sometimes serve the interests of the many at the expense of the few because of limited bandwidth, Hesse said. At its core, the Internet is a collection of private networks that should remain unregulated, he said. “Once it starts, where is it going to end?” (Broadband Census)