According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Comcast and Time Warner Cable are in talks about possibly funding a WiMAX venture by Sprint Nextel and Clearwire. Citing people familiar with the talks, the Journal reported that Comcast could invest as much as $1 billion in the venture, with Time Warner Cable kicking in up to $500 million.  The report also states that smaller cable operator Bright House Networks also has been involved in the talks.

The Journal report also cited that Intel was still interested in participating in the venture, depending on the terms, and Google also could contribute financially. The report said the exact amount each party puts up is likely to change and the whole deal could still fall through.

It’s possible Sprint could reveal its plans for its WiMAX network soon. The Wireless Communications Association International sent out a release plugging its WCA 2008 convention next month in Washington, D.C., and announced that Barry West, Sprint chief technology officer and president of its Xohm business unit, will deliver a keynote address on April 22. The release said that West is expected to discuss the company’s upcoming Xohm commercial WiMAX launch in the Metropolitan Washington, Baltimore and Chicago markets.