Intel-based WiMAX Deployments Begin

Online staff -- Electronic News, 11/10/2005

The bet that Intel placed on WiMAX is beginning to show signs of paying off.

Thirteen carriers from around the globe are now deploying the world’s first fixed WiMAX networks to deliver high-speed broadband wireless access to businesses and residences based on Intel’s technologies.  And 11 more carriers are preparing to deploy WiMAX networks by the end of this year.

"As WiMAX gains momentum in full deployments, homes and businesses gain the ease and power of cost-effective wireless networking," said Scott Richardson, general manager of Intel's Broadband Wireless Division, in a statement. "We are now delivering the promise of WiMAX -- high-speed, cost-effective wireless broadband access -- to businesses and consumers in cities and suburbs around the world."

Building on the success of WiMAX trials, carriers are rolling out full commercial deployments in cities and in suburban and rural communities, allowing broadband wireless networks to reach locations where previously they were either impossible or too costly for carriers to pursue.

New WiMAX carriers include Altitude Telecom (France), AXTEL (Mexico), BEC Telecom, S.A. (Dominican Republic), Dedicado (Uruguay), Globe/Innove (Philippines), Iberbanda (Spain), Irish Broadband (Ireland), SferaNET (Poland), Mikkelin Puhelin Oyj and Savonlinnan Puhelin Oy (Finland), Telgua (Guatemala), Ukrainian High Technologies (Ukraine), and WiMAX Telecom (Austria and Slovakia). 

The deployments support a range of uses, from basic high-speed access for homes to Internet telephony, business connectivity and support for schools and government offices.

In addition, several carriers are in the process of deploying WiMAX networks that are expected to be up and running by the end of the year, including: Americatel Peru S.A (Peru), Call Plus (New Zealand), Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd. (Taiwan), DBD Deutsched Breitband Dienste GmbH (Germany), Digicel (Caribbean), Entel (Chile), Ertach (Argentina), Integrated Telecom Company (Saudi Arabia), Next Mobile (Philippines), and Taiwan Fixed Networks (Taiwan) and VeloCom (Argentina).

OEMs providing Intel-based customer premises equipment to the market include Airspan, Alcatel, Alvarion and Redline Communications.