Intel and Clearwire will jointly develop and deploy WiMax, the companies announced today. The agreement also involves a significant investment in Clearwire from Intel Capital, Intel’s strategic investment program.
The joint development agreement with Clearwire is for future products supporting the upcoming IEEE 802.16e standard for WiMAX solutions found in both infrastructure equipment and notebooks. Rosedale is Intel’s first “system-on-a-chip” solution. It implements the fixed 802.16 standard.
McCaw expects to have deployments in 20 U.S. markets next year. He has deployments with his partners in eight of the largest cities in Mexico and is building networks in 44 cities in Canada. His company is also active in Europe, utilizing the 3.5 GHz spectrum.
Clearwire is a newbie broadband company formed by Craig McCaw. They intend to deploy WiMAX networks using broadband gear from NextNet Wireless (a Clearwire subsidiary).
The investment is part of Intel Capital’s strategy to invest $150 million in wireless technology to help accelerate adoption of high-speed wireless networks worldwide. Specific financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. The company said that it could be in as many as 20 American markets next year, but McCaw said getting access to radio spectrum was more difficult in this country than in Canada and Mexico.
“Craig and his team have helped shape the communications industry over the past two decades. Their vision, energy and leadership will help us achieve the promise that WiMAX technology offers: widely available, high-speed wireless connectivity using extremely high volume low-cost technology based on open standards,” said Sean Maloney, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Intel Communications Group.
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of an important relationship to accelerate the delivery of broadband services to people across the world,” said Clearwire Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Craig O. McCaw. “Intel is a leader in the development of WiMAX technologies. And while we have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us, we are encouraged by our early market deployments — both at Clearwire and with our friends at NextNet.”
This August, Clearwire launched its first broadband wireless network in Jacksonville, FL. (below), using NextNet technology, using technologies similar to WiMAX. It provides high-speed broadband wireless service throughout most of the greater Jacksonville area. Licensed WiMax, with more power and less interference, may provide some competition to DSL & cable modems since wires can be eliminated. But three companies own most of the MMDS (2.5GHz) frequencies in the United States, Clearwire, Nextel and Sprint.
Clearwire is Intel’s best showcase for WiMax in the U.S. Nextel is going with Flarion (or possibly EV-DO) and Sprint WiMax would be competing with their own cellular business. Unlicensed WiMax (and 802.16e) could be used by phone or cable companies…but where are they going to get licensed frequencies? WiMax needs licensed frequencies for carrier-grade performance. It doesn’t have them in the United States.
Customers of the Clearwire network connect their computer to a NextNet modem with an Ethernet cable, power it up and receive Internet access anywhere within the Clearwire coverage area. No software installation or system configuration is required.
Since last summer, Intel, Clearwire and NextNet engineers have been working together to develop, test and deploy WiMAX base stations and customer premise equipment designed and built by NextNet based on Intel silicon. That would make NextNet among the first vendors capable of delivering WiMAX infrastructure.
Of course, Portland’s VeriLAN has offered a pre-WiMax solution in the Portland area since December, 2003.
McCaw dismissed claims that it’s competing with 3G cellular networks. “No one technology wears out,” he told the audience. “Look at Western Union. They’re moving money for al-Qaida now.”
DailyWireless has more on Clearwire’s Jacksonville Launch, Portland Gets a Free Cloud, VeriLAN Launches Pre-WiMax in Portland, National 802.16 from McCaw, Sleeper Cells, NextNet’s Mexican Revolution, NextNet Deploys in the United States, WiMax Switcharoo and Sydney Unwired.
[...] XOHM: Live in Baltimore, ClearWire Launches Pre-WiMax, Clearwire’s Launch Party in Portland , Intel Inside Clearwire , BellSouth Expands WiMAX, VeriLAN’s Portland City Cloud, First Commercial 802.16a Switched [...]
Left by Clearwire Gets New Board Chairman on January 18th, 2011