This deal between DirectTV, EchoStar (DISH's parent), and Clearwire (a WiMAX service provider) seems to be the first big solid WiMAX push in the US, if everything goes to plan. In the agreement two big satellite TV providers will get a broadband service of their own—something they apparently think they need to compete with cable and DSL—and Clearwire's WiMAX will get some large exposure to the public.
With its WiMAX service, Clearwire targets two markets: those who are out of the reach of wired broadband service and those who are looking for an alternative to cable and DSL providers. The bundled service is inteded to make its offering more attractive to the latter group.
Seems like a meshing of two separate interests combining for their mutual benefit. Kind of like how Slowpoke and Shellder combine to form Slowbro, which helps both of them. Holy shit, did I just compare satellite TV and WiMAX to Pokemon?
Satellite TV guys say: why not WiMAX [Ars Technica]
Image credit Sci Fi and Matt Krueger