Clearwire may build its high-speed WiMax wireless network more slowly than originally planned if credit markets do not improve by early 2010, Chief Executive Benjamin Wolff said. Clearwire said in May it planned a network that reaches about 140 million people by the end of 2010 using WiMax, an emerging technology that promises to blanket entire cities with high-speed wireless Internet services. But Wolff believes the company is more than two years ahead of rivals in building next generation wireless services and consequently could afford to slow down its network plan if necessary. The company will reveal more about how it plans to proceed after its first board meeting in January. Clearwire's bigger rivals AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group expect to have rival high-speed services starting around 2010. Clearwire's Wolff said the company aims to upgrade the its existing wireless service in 46 markets to WiMax by the end of 2009 but that some of those markets could slip into 2010 if the company does not receive required permits on time.
