SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Intel Corp. is hoping to speed up WiMAX deployments in Southeast Asian countries, announcing the launch of its Asian Broadband Campaign, which the company said will provide consulting and technical services.
Intel will work with carriers True Corp. in Thailand, and Telekom Malaysia, as well as governments, telecommunications regulators, education, health and agriculture public agencies, to ready them for WiMAX trials, testing connectivity among key public and private sector groups.
Intel said that it is helping to begin WiMAX trials in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines by the end of 2005, and trials are expected in Indonesia and Vietnam in 2006.
In Thailand, WiMAX trials are being conducted in the communities of Khorat, Chiang Mai and Roi Et to test services for rural and suburban healthcare, education, agriculture supply-chain integration and other consumer services such as Voice over Internet Protocol. Intel said the trials will help assess technical and commercial viability models using different backhaul and last-mile WiMAX architecture.
A WiMAX trial currently is under way in Malaysia’s government administrative hub, Putrajaya. In Kepala Batas, communities of medical practitioners, students and teachers at different remote locations recently tested the uses of WiMAX in the health and education sectors. With these trials, the Malaysian government hopes to promote its digital vision to make wireless broadband technologies such as WiMAX more accessible and affordable to more citizens.
Intel said that the Philippine government’s goal is to increase the use of PC technology in government offices and agencies and establish a nationwide digital infrastructure. The government expects to see the deployment of wireless broadband technologies including WiMAX across key sectors of the country before the end of 2005.
Once broadly deployed, the countries hope the technology will help them meet the United Nations Millennium Development goals to eradicate poverty and hunger, expand primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, combat diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development by 2015.
