The WiMax Forum, the group promoting the next-generation
wireless broadband technology, has signed up three major members in
just over a week.
Lucent Technologies, Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems have
joined, leaving Ericsson as the last major network supplier to
commit.
Lucent's application to join was reported at wireless news site
Unstrung, with a comment that it has previously "waffled" on the
nascent technology. As WiMax starts to settle down to actual
frequencies and specifications, it seems it is time for suppliers
to get on board.
Nokia, meanwhile, played its part in the industry's WiMax
dithering, leaving WiMax in May, and rejoining in June.
Alcatel, Motorola, Siemens and about 100 others are all members,
along with Intel, which started the WiMax promotional ball rolling
in 2003, by joining the Forum, and which has continued the pressure
with the arrival of its RosedaleWiMax chipset.
Cisco confirmed it would join the Forum early in September, as
did Nortel, which promises to contribute its skills in MIMO antenna
technology, and OFDM (orthogonal Frequency division
multiplexing).
WiMax has transformed from a long shot, to something that
everyone has to be involved in, over a remarkably short space of
time.
None of these suppliers have yet been specific about products
and delivery dates, and the market is not expected to take off till
2006. However, we expect to start seeing some more product details
pretty soon.
Peter Judge writes for Techworld.com