Will iPhone 5 be able to utilize WiMax on Sprint until their 4G LTE network is deployed in the SF Bay Area?

No. The iPhone 5 does not support WiMax. WiMax is a failed experiment. That's why they're replacing it with LTE.

KiltedTim wrote:

No. The iPhone 5 does not support WiMax. WiMax is a failed experiment. That's why they're replacing it with LTE.

Have to disagree with this. WiMax has good coverage area ratio for radios used and good ping times.

Its very cost affective and has repeater stations being sold in many B&M stores across the US like radioshack etc

I didn't say it didn't have good coverage, etc. It works just fine for many purposes.

Sprint is killing their WiMax network. They have gone to LTE. The iPhone does not support WiMax. In the near future, none of the major cellular carriers will have any WiMax at all.

KiltedTim wrote:

I didn't say it didn't have good coverage, etc. It works just fine for many purposes.

Sprint is killing their WiMax network. They have gone to LTE. The iPhone does not support WiMax. In the near future, none of the major cellular carriers will have any WiMax at all.

Love to know where you heard this. Sprint has no plans to discontinue its WiMax service at all.

iDen on the other hand is a different story.

Sprint is relegating their existing WiMax network to their pre-paid services. It is being completely phased out of the "Sprint" branded network. There is no more "Sprint" WiMax. Boost Mobile, which is owned by Sprint, uses what's left of the Sprint WiMax network for prepaid service.

It doesn't penetrate buildings nearly as well as LTE, unfortunately.