Telecom research and market analysis firm Maravedis recently released a study on the future of wireless broadband and WiMAX in the United States; the report speculates that Sprint Nextel will not be able to complete its ambitious nationwide WiMAX plans without drumming up additional funding.

The report also notes that WiMAX, as a technology, faces more hurdles than simply Sprint’s recent revenue issues. Although the report predicts big opportunities for WiMAX in the 700 MHz band, Maravedis doesn’t expect any real developments to appear before 2010.

The report suggested that WiMAX technology is currently two years ahead of rival Long Term Evolution, but support for LTE is gaining. The report concluded the two may eventually converge. The Maravedis report predicts that LTE will be the dominant mobile broadband technology in 2012.

Despite the carrier’s hard times, financial investment advisory magazine Barron’s, said shares in Sprint Nextel are actually looking cheap, and that the company has valuable unused spectrum, which only gains in value over time.