SprintNextel has used CES to reassure people that it is still committed to its Xohm WiMax network by announcing a lot of partnerships...services, devices and ad agencies. Reuters has a few more details, including that the commercial launch is due for the end of April, devices won’t be subsidized, and the service would be sold “at reasonable rates with options including per day, week or month, as well as longer term contracts” according to Barry West, president of Sprint’s (NYSE: S) Xohm business unit. Sprint wants to set up roaming agreements with other WiMax networks around the world.

A couple of interesting things: Sprint “plans to offer only a data card for laptops and a modem for desktop computers when it kicks off the service, and has no immediate plans to sell phones that include the technology...Other devices will be sold through electronics retailers rather than Sprint”. This is a bit of a surprise, since Xohm was regarded as being an early move into 4G networks, one which the other carriers couldn’t compete with anytime soon. Of course any WiMax device can use VoIP, and Sprint could be relying on handset vendors selling WiMax phones through other distribution channels, possibly because the lack of subsidies will make them seem expensive.

Also, West plugged WiMax as Sprint’s “Open Internet vision”, as a fight-back to Verizon’s (NYSE: VZ) big “open" push and AT&T’s (NYSE: T) ”open GSM” boast. However, if it’s got no immediate plans for WiMax-enabled mobile phones it’s really talking about a different thing, isn’t it? (release)