Cisco Systems announced that Thailand’s TT&T is deploying its WiMAX network equipment at Mae Fah Luang University. It’s Thailand’s first production WiMAX network and Cisco’s first WiMAX win in the Asia Pacific market.
Located in Chiang Rai province in north Thailand, Mae Fah Luang University selected TT&T to deploy the network after it obtained a WiMAX license as part of the Pilot Tele-Center for Rural Area Education and Development Project of north Thailand. “We chose Cisco because of its proven expertise and leadership in networking technology,” said Prachuab Tantinon, managing director of TT&T Public Company Limited. Tests conducted in a Bangkok school delivered broadband speeds under non line-of-sight conditions at ranges of 5-7 kilometers.
Cisco acquired Navini Networks in October 2007, and their mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005) offering combines two smart antenna techniques: adaptive beamforming and beamformed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). The result is double the data throughput for mobile WiMAX, extending the effective range of coverage and enhancing the signal strength.
Cisco claims their base station and smart antenna solutions enable data transmissions at rates up to six times that of systems not incorporating the capabilities.
Last week, NEC announced it is providing mobile WiMAX equipment to hospitals in Thailand. The Chiang Khong hospital WiMAX services will provide wireless broadband communications to locations within a maximum of five kilometers, which currently includes three medical clinics, and expands communications beyond fixed analog telephone lines to include new video and TV phone services that can assist with remote medical care. NEC announced today that it has received the WiMAX Forum Certified seal of approval for its 2.5GHz base station and PC cards.
Thailand is home to more than 67.3 million citizens. According to an ITU report, about 8.5 million have access to the Internet but only 600,000 have broadband services.
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