Engadget's Chris Ziegler reports that Sprint Nextel and Clearwire today announced an agreement to work together in creating a nationwide WiMax network.

"Specifically, Sprint will be responsible for covering about 185 million potential customers, with Clearwire swooping in for another 115 million over the next few years; 100 million total are expected to be covered by the end of 2008, which is curiously the exact same number Sprint had been throwing around on its own Accord before the agreement was announced," Ziegler writes. "This is a pretty serious deal, too - the two are bound in holy matrimony for at least 20 years with options for up to three 10-year renewals."

As Gizmodo's Adam Frucci puts it, "Badass... if they can get it done."

More here from CNET News ... more here from InformationWeek ... and the press release is here.