SYDNEY-Chipmaker Intel Corp. continued to push WiMAX technology with its $27.9 million investment in wireless broadband carrier Unwired Australia. Under the deal, Unwired Australia said it will use Intel’s WiMAX chips in its efforts to expand the technology across Australia’s cities.
“Twelve months ago, wireless broadband was on the horizon, but today it’s an accepted and trusted option for thousands of customers as evidenced by the rapid growth of customers for our Sydney business,” said David Spence, the carrier’s chief executive officer. “Intel Capital’s investment will enable us to make wireless broadband available to a greater number of Australians and to quickly move to WiMAX in other cities as equipment becomes available.”
Unwired Australia said it will use equipment from Navini Networks Inc. The carrier said it will offer dual-mode modems and base stations, which will first support proprietary technology and then will transition to standard WiMAX technology when it becomes available.
Unwired Australia is not Intel’s first WiMAX investment. The company also invested an undisclosed amount in Clearwire Corp., which is offering pre-WiMAX services in a handful of cities in the United States. Intel said it will continue to invest in WiMAX players in a bid to grow the market, much like it did with Wi-Fi technology to promote its Centrino line of chips.
