U.S. operator Sprint has announced a number of device deals for its WiMax network dubbed ‘Xohm’, currently being soft launched with employees in Chicago, Baltimore and Washington. OQO of San Francisco intends to embed WiMAX wireless capability in an ultra mobile PC this year, whilst ASUSTek of Taiwan plans to produce a line of WiMAX-embedded devices for availability during 2008. Meanwhile Zyxel and chip supplier Sequans have announced a collaboration to produce a WiMAX modem subscriber device for mobile Internet data and voice services, which will debut with the launch of commercial Xohm service.

Sprint says commercial WiMAX services will be launched later this year in “select U.S. cities.” Sprint has previously said it will rollout WiMAX to potentially cover at least 100 million people by year-end 2008.