Samsung Electronics strikes new WiMAX deals

Samsung Electronics strikes new WiMAX deals
November 12, 2009
As Asia’s demand for the next-generation wireless Internet network WiMAX rises, Samsung Electronics announced yesterday that it has struck additional deals with Japan’s leading WiMAX provider, UQ Communications, to supply WiMAX equipment.

Samsung supplied equipment to UQ Communications for WiMAX networks in Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, with which the Japanese company first started commercial mobile WiMAX service this July.

With these additional deals with Samsung, UQ Communications plans to expand its mobile WiMAX network in Japan to cover more than 90 percent of the country’s population.

UQ Communications has been aggressive in expanding WiMAX in Japan recently, joining forces with 15 mobile device firms to launch various mobile WiMAX devices. Six companies are invested in UQ Communications including KDDI Corp., Japan’s second-largest mobile operator, and Intel Capital Corporation.

“Many governments in Asia are pushing for the introduction of a mobile WiMAX network, and Samsung Electronics will lead the mobile broadband era with our advanced mobile WiMAX technology,” said Kim Woon-sub, vice president and head of the telecommunication systems division.

The company also announced that it has joined the “WiMAX Innovation Network,” an alliance of global mobile communications companies to support WiMAX development, led by Malaysian WiMAX provider YTL Communications. Other companies in this group include U.S.-based Clearwire, Cisco and GCT Semiconductor.

WiMAX, or worldwide interoperability for microwave access, is a leading candidate to become the next-generation, 4G wireless technology standard along with LTE, or long-term evolution technology. It is a wireless Internet standard similar to Korean-developed WiBro, a third-generation technology.


By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2912436