US-based WiMAX pin up Clearwire is targeting a subscriber base of over 30 million by 2017.

At an investor presentation on Thursday evening, the new Clearwire revealed its projections for business and revenue growth over the next ten years.

The company reckons it can hit over million customers by 2009, rising to 4.6 million a year later. The target is 8.5 million by 2011 and 19.5 million by 2014.

Clearwire said it expects to maintain a roughly 50 / 50 split between retail and wholesale subscribers throughout, with both segments delivering a similar level of EBITDA.

The company is aiming for an average revenue by account of over $48 by 2009, rising to more than $61 by 2017. Average revenue per individual user – on the basis that families and such will share an account – is expected to come in at $34 in 2009 and remain at a similar level in 2017.

Projected subscriber acquisition costs by account are forecast to hit $582 in 2009 and drop to $350 within eight years.

Speaking at the event yesterday, Clearwire chief executive Benjamin Wolf said the WiMAX champion was targeting revenues of up to $17.5bn by 2017 and an EBITDA margin equivalent to 44 per cent.

The new Clearwire was formed in May, when Sprint spun off its wireless broadband operation into a partnership with Craig McCaw’s Clearwire, Intel, Google and a number of cable players – Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.