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Lawsuit alleges 'slow and unreliable' Clearwire service
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Some Clearwire subscribers are seeking class-action status for a complaint against the provider that alleges the company's wireless, high-speed Internet and phone service is shoddy and unreliable. The lawsuit also claims Clearwire's advertising is misleading.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in King County, Washington, also alleges that Clearwire's early termination fees are unlawful. The customers are seeking recovery of any ETFs paid by Clearwire subscribers, as well as an injunction prohibiting Clearwire from enforcing the ETFs and from making "further false advertising."
The complaint alleges that "when [Clearwire customers] seek to cancel their Clearwire service because they discover that, in fact, Clearwire service is slow and unreliable (or for any other reason), the consumers learn that their long-term contracts contain an Early Termination Fee provision pursuant to which Clearwire charges a fee of up to $220 for canceling."
Clearwire spokeswoman Susan Johnston said that as a matter of company policy, Clearwire does not comment on pending legal matters. The complaint appears to originate from customers in Clearwire's pre-WiMAX markets, including Washington, Hawaii, Minnesota, and North Carolina.
For more:
- see this release
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Comments
Posted by Anonymous | April 23, 2009 - 1:16pm
I get it. Clearwire hired to many ex Sprint employees.
Now it two words for every request; Can't & Won't
Posted by Anonymous | April 24, 2009 - 8:16am
Oh-oh. Can Max Smart and his band of Why-Max geeks fix this?
Posted by Anonymous | April 24, 2009 - 8:34am
Moron, the articel clearly says the markets affected by this are non Wi-Max/Sprint markets. Wi-Max deployment will certainly fix the problem. Check out Gary Krakow's Wi-Max testing at thestreet.com and see for yourself.
Posted by Maximus Pulp | April 24, 2009 - 8:56am
Dear Mr. Moron Anonymous (8:34 am). Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Max Smart and his band of Why-Max geeks can certainly fix the technical bandwidth and reliability problems with WiMax. The WiMax technology is excellent. The question remains can Max make a profitable business out of WiMax in North American urban areas.Rural areas...no brainer. Urban areas?
Posted by Anonymous | April 27, 2009 - 9:38am
Spin, spin, spin... anything to deflect the power of Wimax. I LOVE MY WIMAX Clearwire service.. Fast, easy and way better.. Ding ding...
Posted by Layne Holt | April 27, 2009 - 1:39pm
Does Clearwire actually have any REAL WiMAX installed? if so how many customers? Clearwire says it plans to upgrade its 46 pre-WiMAX markets in the coming years. Meanwhile, it looks like other pure WiMAX deployments, such as Chicago, are getting pushed back. On March 11, 2009 9:00 PM per Clearwire spokeswoman Susan Johnston:
There's no word yet on what Clearwire will give customers now using its slower "pre-WiMax" network. Johnston said via e-mail that Clearwire "will proactively work with its customers to smoothly transition them to these enhanced mobile WiMax services as they become available. Unfortunately, the current modems aren't compatible with mobile WiMax
Nokia Disses WiMax As The 'Betamax' Of Wireless Technology and has panned the prospects of 4G wireless standard WiMax, comparing its fate to Betamax, the early video format that emerged in the 1970's and was superseded by VHS.
EtherLinx WiFi would be a better choice for last mile as WiFi is now the faster of the two technologies and WiFi devices will not only connect to the network, but interconnect directly with hundreds of different devices in the home, office, car and public space — some stand alone computing devices in their own right, others ordinary household objects. EtherLinx "Wireless Broadband's Holy Grail" is the solution to "get true broadband to every community in America" with Low Cost Long Range ubiquitous WiFi.
Posted by Chad M | April 28, 2009 - 7:44pm
Thought you should be aware of this new complaint filed against Clearwire: www.tzlegal.com/clearwire.asp
Contact these attorneys to join the class action.
Chad Minnick
Seattle, WA
Posted by Anonymous | August 30, 2009 - 2:19am
Shoddy and unreliable doesn't even begin to describe it. The service (or lack thereof) is unbelievable and I have wondered how they stay in business. I will be looking to see how I can join the lawsuit.
Posted by Anonymous | August 30, 2009 - 2:21am
Shoddy and unreliable doesn't even begin to describe it. The service (or lack thereof) is unbelievable and I have wondered how they stay in business. I will be looking to see how I can join the lawsuit. I guess it is an advantage to them this time though; I have been trying for several minutes to post this comment but the connection is so bad it won't go. :)
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