Xanadoo, a wireless ISP, is launching Navini’s wireless broadband service in Lubbock, Texas and plans to extend its service to Wichita Falls and Abilene, Texas in the next few months along with additional Texas markets in late 2006 and 2007.
Navini’s portable solution will provide NLOS coverage and easy plug- and-play activation, with “a seamless upgrade path to 802.16e,” according to Roger Dorf, president and chief executive officer of Navini Networks.
Xanadoo currently has licensees or agreements for wireless frequencies in the 2.5 GHz frequency band, covering potentially 8 million people in the state of Texas (and several other states).
Rioplex Wireless has (arguably) held the honor of having the largest broadband cloud in the United States for several years. Their Navini non-line-of-sight network (below) covers a vast expanse of South Texas, about 5,000 square miles.
Clients get “wireless DSL” using indoor USB clients and 500kbps-1Mbps speed. No truck roll.
Aspen Communications has announced the rollout of a city wide infrastructure for WiMAX in Dallas, beginning in mid-March. Aspen’s network of fiber and wireless facilities currently spans Dallas, North Dallas, Fort Worth and East Texas “In a few months, we will be able to deliver a 10 Mbps connection on a 300 foot tower in McKinney for under $1500 per month,” says Aspen’s Sales & Marketing Director Rocky Ahmann.
And what’s become of 802.20, the mobile broadband wireless standard largely fashioned from Flarion? Not much, it seems.
Qualcomm bought Flarion’s proprietary technology and 802.20 has asked the IEEE for a two year extension for their Working Group.
The IEEE Mobile WiMax standard (802.16e) is now running full throttle, with mobile WiMAX chips and supporting technologies in tow. Has Mobile WiMAX caught 802.20 in its headlights?If 802.20 doesn’t jump to a defacto FDD standard (like Flarion) maybe it will be flattened for good. Or maybe not.
One thing is clear; S-OFDMA-based 802.16e is all about mobility.And it’s coming down the track from Xanadoo.
