TYSONS CORNER, Virginia: US telco titan Sprint Nextel is to invest up to $5 billion (€3.61bn; £2.49bn) in blanketing entire cities with the latest high-speed wireless broadband technology.

Known as WiMax, it will enable surfers on the move to access the internet from a variety of devices - from cellphones and laptops to video game players and cameras.

The technology claims web access at speeds up to five times faster than typical wireless networks - although it cannot currently match the speed of wired broadband connections such as DSL and cable.

Says Sprint ceo Gary Forsee: "We in fact will have a mobile-broadband network at least two years ahead of other providers."

The company will market the new service under the Xohm brand and predicts its coverage will reach 125 million people by 2010.

Data sourced from International Herald-Tribune; additional content by WARC staff