Intel has signed an agreement with the Taiwan ministry of economic affairs to jointly establish a centre for open-source software and applications. It’s intended to stimulate development of WiMax client devices based on Moblin, the open-source development environment for the Intel Atom processor.
Announcing the deal on Thursday in Taiwan, Intel president and chief executive Paul Otellini said Intel Capital, the company’s global investment arm, would invest $11.5m (£6.7m) in the Taiwanese carrier Vmax. According to Otellini, Intel Capital’s intended investment and the company’s accompanying business deal will help Vmax to deploy Taiwan’s first mobile WiMax network “within the first half of next year”.
According to Intel, the investment in Taiwan is part of the company’s continuing effort to promote the WiMax standard. “Intel has invested in 30 WiMax technology companies and service providers worldwide,” the company’s statement continued.
“WiMax is a key component of Intel’s strategy to enable the truly mobile internet. “Intel Capital’s investment in Vmax positions it to deliver Taiwan’s first 4G wireless network,” said Otellini.
Intel showed off its concept for an UrbanMax tablet at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in Taiwan recently. The concept computers used Atom and Dual Core processors, but are not production-ready. A Mobile WiMAX handset may have to wait until 2H of 2009 with Moorestown, the next iteration of Atom. Battery life is still problematic on a Mobile WiMAX handset.
Intel Capital, has invested in more than 80 companies in China and Hong Kong, reports Reuters, and has established a $500 million Intel Capital China Technology Fund to promote research in Chinese companies in April.
When Taiwanese telecoms regulator the National Communications Commission (NCC) issued six 2.5GHz WiMAX licenses in July 2007, it looked likely that WiMAX would play a significant role in the country’s broadband market. But the landscape has changed drastically in the intervening 14 months, says Tony Brown in Telecoms.com.
The companies were given 18 months to build WiMax service networks and are required to launch their commercial operation within six months of completing the construction. Global Mobile, Vmax Telecom and First International Telecom won licenses for northern Taiwan, while Far EasTone Telecommunications, Tatung and Vastar Cable TV System won licenses for the south.
- First International Telecom (Fitel), confessed that its financial problems could jeopardize its prospects of even making it to a commercial launch unless it can attract new investment.
- Global Mobile had NT$1.14 million in capital when it last published company figures. If it misses the deadline to hit the capital minimum, it could lose its license after a three-month grace period.
- Vastar has applied to the NCC for an extension to meet capitalization requirements and First International announced in September a plan to raise NT$3 billion by issuing 250 million common shares via private placement.
- Far EasTone, Tatung and Vmax said earlier that they have obtained sufficient capital to guarantee their ability to carry out their WiMAX plans.
Other WiMAX Providers that are backed by Intel include:
- Clearwire: Launched its first market in August 2004 and now offers service in 50 markets across the U.S. as well as in Europe.
- Comstar: The leading integrated telecommunications operator in Russia and the CIS,
- UQ Communications: Plans to create a new wireless broadband market in Japan and to make Mobile WiMAX as a necessary social infrastructure here in Japan.
- DBD Beutsche Breitband Dienste GmbH: Operates across Germany to provide customers with WiMAX access. In metropolitan areas DBD offers both WiMAX broadband Internet access and voice over IP (VoIP) through its MAXXonair service.
- Packet 1 Networks: Will commercially deploy and build one of the largest WiMAX networks on the 2.3Ghz band, in Malaysia. Hope to provide WiMAX coverage for 25 percent of the population in Malaysia (6.5 million people) by the end of 2008 and 40 percent of the population in Malaysia (10 million people) by the end of 2010.
- XOHM: Launched commercial Mobile WiMAX
Taiwan suppliers have benefited from Sprint`s WiMAX Launch in the USA with CPE vendors such as Lenovo, ZTE, and Zyxel.
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