Choice is good, right? Competition is the American way. It gives consumers the opportunity to shop around and select the best product, and it forces businesses without the luxury of a monopoly on a market to keep improving the service or products they offer for the lowest price possible.

With utilities, there’s only one water option and only one power company. With communications, however, the consumer has options. In years past, if you wanted telephone service, the customer would look only to Ma Bell for communication capability and, subsequently, the “baby bells.”

But now, Americans can choose their cell phone provider where they get their TV channels and their Internet service provider. While Comcast and AT&T dominate the local ISP market, Clear is establishing itself as a player in the field.

The company formerly known as Clearwire can now provide service to most areas of Murfreesboro, but the new name means a whole new level of service, says Tobey Steele, one of the partners of Clear SIMG, an independent company bringing Clear to Murfreesboro. Clearwire provided access through a 3G network, but now Clear is using 4G technology to give users the ability to go beyond checking their e-mail and bank accounts and actually watch movies, play games and download huge files while on the go.

Steele, who formerly worked for Comcast in the Murfreesboro area for six years, says Clear can offer a faster connection speed than other providers, and there is no download cap. Also, the customer does not have to wait for a technician to come out to set up the service; those using Clear are provided with a driver, the user will simply install the software on their computer and the service is ready to use.

“It just works,” says Steele of the service’s simplicity and reliability.

The biggest advantage of Clear is that it’s mobile. Sign up for the mobile service, take your laptop anywhere in range, plug the small device into a USB port and you’re surfing in seconds. There’s no worrying about being within range of a wireless router or obtaining a password at a particular restaurant or store.

The speed is wonderful, as long as you’re within range. That’s one of the only drawbacks to the service—range is limited. If you are within the Murfreesboro or Nashville city limits, you will most likely be able to connect, but there are pockets where Clear’s signal is not yet available, even in town.

That range is quickly expanding, says Steele, who has already helped bring the technology to Houston and has his eyes on Tampa after the Murfreesboro stores are up and running.

“CLEAR WiMax will cover as many as 120 million people with true broadband mobility by end of 2010,” he says.

While the concept of getting work done while at the beach, lake or park is great, keep in mind that it’s almost impossible to see some computer screens outside during the day, even in the shade. This is not the fault of Clear, but it is something to consider when purchasing mobile Internet service. Still, technology is improving, access is getting quicker, and competition and mobility are good.

For more information on the service, visit one of the Clear stores here in the ’Boro, located at 2975D S. Rutherford Blvd. and 1003 Memorial Blvd.