Intel and LG Electronics have agreed to work together on
creating a single international standard for wireless broadband
internet access.
The two companies will now work on combining the Intel-backed
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) standard
with the Korean Wireless Broadband (WiBro) standard
LG Electronics spokeswoman Karen Hyejin Park said WiMax and
WiBro offered different versions of the same basic 802.16 standard.
WiMax sends a signal of several tens of megabits per second to
fixed receivers over a distance of several tens of kilometres while
WiBro sends a 1Mbps signal to receivers moving at speeds of up to
70km an hour.
"Single broadband wireless access standardisation would allow
companies to avoid duplicate investments in handsets and systems
that may occur between countries," said Park. "Consumers will then
be able to receive broadband wireless access services at a more
affordable price."
Plans for commercial WiBro system deployment are well advanced
in South Korea. The government has announced plans to issue three
national licences for WiBro deployment and industry watchers see KT
Corp, SK Telecom and Hanaro Telecom as the likely winners.
Intel meanwhile has already begun producing samples of its first
WiMax chip. The company is supplying the component, called
Rosedale, to major customers in anticipation of the start of trial
services within the next year.
Martyn Williams writes for IDG News Service