“The WiMAX standards are not even close to being finalized, there is no silicon and the infighting between various backers of the technology continue, yet in-Stat believes this could be a market worth billions by 2008“, complains Om Malik.
But it’s not true. 802.16-2004 was published by the IEEE in the fall of 2004 and Wavesat is shipping 802.16 chips. The WiMax Forum’s all important certification process that tests for compatibility between different vendors has been delayed 6 months and will begin accepting vendor equipment in July.
Of course industry journals such as America’s Network and The Economist are complaining about the delay. As well they might. Intel seems to be holding things up.
Meanwhile, three of Korea’s telecommunications service providers, KT Corp. (Korea’s largest phone company), SK Telecom (Korea’s largest cellular operator) and Hanaro Telecom (Korea’s largest independent ISP), plan trial services of mobilized WiMax this year, using WiBro, their flavor of 802.16e (which is being merged into mobile 802.16). They expect to offer a national 2.3 GHz broadband wireless service next year.
Folding in forward compatibility of WiBro into Intel’s fixed 802.16-2004 (Rosedale) chip is apparently taking some additional time.
Of course it doesn’t let blustery Intel off the hook. Wavesat Wireless is shipping their 802.16 chipsets while Sequans Communications and Fujitsu aren’t far behind. 
- Wavesat unveiled a number of vendor customer deals for its WiMax silicon, including nex-G Systems Pte Ltd., Trango Broadband Wireless, WaveIP Ltd., and WaveRider Communications Inc. (see Dailywireless Wavesat Shipping WiMax Chips).
- Sequans expects to launch its chipsets in mid-2005 but already lays claim to two signed deals at Airspan Networks and Cambridge Broadband Ltd. (see Sequans Wins Customers and Sequans Maxes Up).
- Fujitsu silicon is “being tested now,” says Dick Davies, Fujitsu spokesman. It will be used in Wi-LAN’s Mobilis.
The whole industry is waiting for Intel to catch up. That’s all.
Mobilized WiMax Solutions from Adaptix, SR Telecom, nex-G, Wi-LAN’s Mobilis and Proxim Pre-WiMax are currently being promoted - “pre-802.16e” or not. Handoff and management software or not.
Unstrung’s WiMax Guide, Telephony’s Guide to WiMax and Intel’s WiMax Tech Journal have more detail. Related DailyWireless stories include; Wavesat Shipping WiMax Chips, WiMax for Redline & Cambridge, Intel Talks Up Wireless Media, Alvarion Promotes Mobile WiMax, Realistic WiMax Range/Speed Projections?, Intel WiMax in China & South Africa, NextNet Deploys, WiMax World, WiMax Switcharoo, and IEEE Scores 802.16d.
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