There was no parade. Not even a press release to accompany Intel Corp.’s unveiling of its new Rosedale 2 WiMAX chip for both fixed and mobile broadband access during the Wireless Communications Expo forum event held last week in Washington, D.C.
Intel’s spokeswoman, Amy Martin, confirmed that Scott Richardson, vice president of the Mobility Group and general manager of the Service Provider Business Group at Intel, unleashed the chip during a keynote speech at WCA. Martin explained that the new chip is in a “sampling phase” and said Intel expects to divulge further details about its WiMAX chip within 90 days or so.
Martin pointed out that while the company’s original Rosedale chip was launched last year and supports fixed WiMAX, Rosedale 2 was designed to be used in portable CPE equipment and allow for roaming between base stations.
Uptake of the new chip will be interesting to watch, as vendors are already entering into certification testing for truly mobile 802.16e products, which are considered to be end-user devices that contain embedded WiMAX capabilities, negating the need to carry around “portable” WiMAX CPE equipment or modems.
The WiMAX Forum has said it expects 802.16e-certified products to ship sometime in 2007, but it’s still unclear as to whether WiMAX technology will find large-scale support among U.S. carriers and service providers.
Most of the network infrastructure vendors have WiMAX portfolios ready to launch, but widespread sales have not taken off as of yet.
But that might be changing, as last week, BellSouth Corp. announced it had chosen Alcatel Inc.’s Evolium mobile WiMAX technology portfolio for testing in its lab next quarter, saying it plans to “assess the viability of offering a simple and seamless WiMAX solution that will extend broadband even further into our network.”
BellSouth already offers commercial service using pre-WiMAX gear, but the upcoming lab trials will test the IEEE’s newly ratified WiMAX 802.16e standard in the 2.3 GHz spectrum band.
“We are committed to increasing our broadband coverage,” stated Paulino Barros, chief product officer of BellSouth Retail Markets.
BellSouth did not specify when and where it might deploy 802.16e-based WiMAX technology, but Alcatel pointed out that its solution offers carriers a strategic value, supporting fixed, nomadic and mobile usage. The company boasted: “This trial with BellSouth is a significant indication that our customers agree—universal WiMAX is ready for the market, and the market is ready for universal WiMAX.”
BellSouth last week also announced the expansion of its wireless broadband service into Melbourne, Fla., Chattanooga, Tenn.; Greenville, Miss.; Charleston, S.C.; and Albany, Ga.
Set to launch in the new markets during the third quarter, the company said traditional phone lines will not be needed to use its wireless broadband service, which will offer Internet access speeds of 1.5 megabits per second. The system transmits signals between local radio towers and a small non-line-of-sight desktop subscriber modem, utilizing the company’s licensed 2.3 GHz spectrum, BellSouth explained.
“With BellSouth Wireless Broadband Service, we can reach even more of our customers with high-speed Internet access,” said Randy Roberts, vice president, Wireless and CPE Management at BellSouth. “One of our primary focuses in these latest deployments has been on our rural customers, some whose only opportunity to experience high-speed Internet is with our wireless broadband service.”
In 2005, BellSouth launched wireless broadband using pre-WiMAX technology in Athens, Ga., and has since expanded the service to Palatka, Fla.; New Orleans; Gulfport, Miss.; and DeLand, Fla.
