Sprint, Clearwire Close to Joining Forces

Sprint and Clearwire are close to a long-awaited deal that would allow superfast wireless access for cellphones and laptops, the Wall Street Journal reports. Investors gave their final approval to the deal today, but the venture still needs regulators' approval. Comcast, Google, Intel, and Time Warner Cable are some of the entities funding the new venture, which takes some pressure off Sprint but doesn't resolve the question of Nextel's fate. (More Sprint stories.)