Union minister of state for agriculture and consumer affairs K V Thomas launched the facility at a function in Kochi on Saturday.
Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, is understood to be in talks with leading Indian telecom companies like Tata Communications (formerly VSNL), Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications that could bid for broadband wireless access spectrum to be auctioned by the government in January 2010.
The issue of which technology to use in wireless broadband services, TD-LTE or WiMax, is becoming keener.
Intel Capital, the investment arm of Intel Corp, is seeking further investment opportunities to support its WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) strategy, since it believes the technology could shake up the wireless data market.
Google, the world's largest search engine and one of the biggest internet brands, is understood to be eyeing opportunities in the third generation of mobile telephony, or 3G, in India.
Soma Networks, a US-based provider of mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) products and services, plans to launch compact WiMAX-enabled devices in India within six months.
"While telecom operators may get a licence for spectrum and have the money to build networks, they may not necessarily have the management skills. We are in talks to explore possibilities of knowledge transfer and help operators build capacities by lowering entry barriers," said Barry West, CTO, Sprint, and president, Xohm. Globally, Sprint is not doing well. It is now banking on WiMax to boost its revenues.
Railtel has entered into an agreement with US-based Pronto Services, which will create facilities at 50 railway stations through Wi-Max technology.
The company will also make a $500 million (Rs 2,000 crore) investment through the acquired company in the next 2-3 years to build and acquire WiMax networks across 50 countries. Worldwide interoperability for microwave access or WiMax is a telecommunications technology that provides wireless data over long distances through various mediums. This is the third acquisition by the company as it had acquired US-based ethernet services provider Yipes Holdings for $300 million.
Many developing countries are using WiMax deployments to leapfrog past copper wires, notes the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Information Technology Report 2007-08. For instance, in India, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, or WiMAX, has been promoted as the answer to the country's last-mile connectivity issues.
WiMAX is generally said to deliver 70 megabits per second over 50 kilometers but can either operate at higher bitrates or over longer distances.
The bids were slated to be opened on December 4. WiMAX or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access provides for wireless transmission of data and up to 75 Mb/sec speed. The 802.16d -- also frequently referred to as 'fixed WiMAX' has no support for mobility.
Telcos may have begun their WiMAX rollouts, but the results are yet to show. Consider this. Tata Teleservices which deployed its first WiMAX network in Bangalore in March, and is expecting to gather a subcsriber base of about 2 lakh by the end of the year, has enrolled just about 7,000 customers in the city.
This would be company's second acquisition in the WiMax space. In February, the company had acquired a significant stake in a French WiMax chip manufacturer Sequans Communications. The financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Further, RCom will expand its reach across countries in the Saarc region, Mediterranean and other South African nations. RCom intends to provide high-speed broadband services, voice, video and data suite and 4G services.
It's the Year of Broadband in India and Frank Hanzlik, MD of the Wi-Fi Alliance, wants Wi-Fi to rise above the din created by WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) and 3G.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances