Comcast, Sprint execs leave Clearwire's financial future in doubt

When it comes to wireless, Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is "continuing to monitor the ... business" and is "very pleased with where the overall data business is," according to Chairman-CEO Brian Roberts. The MSO further has worked to make a combined 3G/4G offer using data cards "an add-on service to the triple play and we'll continue to do that" added Comcast Cable Communications President Neil Smit. Both executives were commenting during a third quarter earnings call.

The impression the execs left is that Comcast is lukewarm, at best, when it comes to expanding any sort of mobile wireless play. That, coupled with earlier comments that the MSO was unwilling to throw any more money at its cash-hungry wireless partner Clearwire (Nasdaq: CLWR) seemed to throw that responsibility back into the lap of majority owner Sprint (NYSE: S), which, according to its third quarter earnings, is having its own problems raising money.

Unless Clearwire gets money from somewhere (and it's considering selling spectrum to get it) it has a vague future. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said during a third quarter earnings call that he has talked with Clearwire about funding options but that he was not about to reveal what was said or what might be done.

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