In a move to increase its presence in the US mobile web market, Google has signed a deal with Sprint Nextel to provide a range of internet services for a web portal that Sprint is developing for its planned WiMax high-speed wireless network.
Under the deal, Sprint will team its network and location detection capabilities with Google Apps services, which include Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Talk. Furthermore, Sprint will provide open standard APIs to developers to allow the internet services to run on a range of WiMax-enabled devices, including notebook computers and phones.
The mobile market is key to Google's strategy of selling internet advertising. The search giant is also interested in bidding for airwaves at an upcoming government auction, and has said it will spend a minimum of $4.6 billion if regulators push operators to open their networks.
Google and Sprint plan to share revenue from search-related advertising. It is expected for the WiMax service to be tested in Chicago, Washington, and Baltimore by the end of this year.