WiMax only needs 5 years to cover the world

From remote areas in Vietnam to modern offices in Silicon Valley (USA), wireless broadband technology is bringing the world closer to the era of "Internet anytime, anywhere".

WiMax promises to change the way people use computers and handheld devices. A number of new technology platforms introduced by network providers and services at the WiMax World 2007 show, held this week in Chicago (USA), show the technology is on the right track to be applied. widespread.

In theory, WiMax allows users to access the Internet at the same speed as DSL. The range from 8 to 50 km helps it cover an entire city. Connecting base stations via satellite, WiMax can also be deployed in remote areas, where fixed and mobile phones are scarce.

Intel demonstrated the feasibility of such projects when testing free WiMax coverage at Ta Van village, Lao Cai province (Vietnam) earlier this month. Intel's representative said that if viewed from a commercial perspective, the service model above is "giving away" $ 25 / month for each user. In return, the Internet contributes to boosting the economy in remote areas and people in the long run will be able to pay their own fees.

Meanwhile, the US is one of the first developed countries to have the opportunity to enjoy WiMax (the technology community is called 4G to distinguish it from 3G wireless). Sprint has invested $ 5 billion to deploy WiMax in 30 cities and expects 100 million people to subscribe to the service.

However, Sprint may have trouble deploying if Intel does not claim that, from November, it will release Penryn chips based on 45 nanometer technology. These processors, thought to be popular in notebooks and desktop systems, will be the smallest, most productive and lowest-power-consuming chip Intel has ever produced. More importantly, Penryn chips will be integrated with WiMax transponders.

Intel claims WiMax technology will cover the world in just five years. American consultant Carmi Levy agrees with this view because " the popular Wi-Fi connection today is thanks to Intel's Centrino chip line and they will soon accomplish the same thing with WiMax ".

Motorola, the world's second-largest mobile phone maker, also bets on the " fastest, most cost-effective and easiest to deploy WiMax chipset on the market today ." Motorola did not disclose many technical details regarding the new platform, but confirmed that the chipset will support both 3G and 4G, allowing switching between mobile and WiMax networks.

Many other companies are also focusing on developing hardware but on a smaller scale. A new face is the GTC (USA), which claims to join the WiMax market with a 2.5 GHz wireless broadband chip, expected to ship next year. MobileAccess also released the WiMax MIMO module, while Aperto confirmed its 5.8 GHz PacketMAX base stations were commercialized.