MILAN, Italy-Telecom Italia Mobile announced plans to trial WiBro handsets with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. during the upcoming 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, according to reports. The move is notable as it lends further credibility to high-speed mobile broadband services like WiBro.
Most high-speed technologies like WiBro so far have been linked to fixed applications. However, recent advances could push such technologies into the mobile arena, thereby competing with cellular offerings. TIM’s WiBro tests indicate European carriers are also interested in WiMAX-style high-speed offerings.
Indeed, South Korea’s KT Corp. recently demonstrated new wireless broadband technology it hopes to deliver to millions of subscribers by 2010.
Korea’s largest fixed-line operator unveiled mobile WiMAX technology for delegates from the WiMAX Forum and others at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The technology is called WiBro in Korea. KT aims to attract as many as 4 million users with the service, which is slated to launch in June.
