WiMAX Development in Asia December 15-21
December 19, 2008
- On December 17 Taiwan's MOEA (Ministry of Economic Affairs) and US WiMAX carrier Sprint signed a memorandum of understanding, whereby Sprint will offer WiMAX IOT (Interoperability Testing) services in Taiwan, Taipei Times reported. The services will be offered by Clearwire, a new venture combining Sprint's and Clearwire's WiMAX businesses, and this marks the first time for Sprint to offer such services outside the United States.
In addition, Sprint contacted Taiwanese WiMAX equipment makers including Zyxel Communications, Accton Technology, D-Link, Universal Scientific Industrial, Asustek, and Acer for further cooperation on equipment supply, Taiwan's Economic Daily News reported.
- Taiwan's Tatung InfoComm, a WiMAX operator licensed for operations in southern Taiwan, has chosen Starent Networks' WiMAX solutions for its mobile WiMAX network, according to a press release by Starent Networks. Starent Networks' ST40 and ST16 multimedia core platforms, boasting home agent functionality with ASN (Access Service Network) Gateway capability, will be deployed in both Tatung's commercial and test WiMAX networks. Tatung is expected to lead off commercial WiMAX operations in Taiwan starting in the first quarter of 2009, with services in major cities including Kaohsiung scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2009.
- Vmax Telecom, another Taiwanese WiMAX licensee, has selected Korea's Samsung for the supply of mobile WiMAX network infrastructure in the greater Taipei area, Commercial Times of Taiwan reported. The first batch of 200 base stations to be provided by Samsung is valued at around NT$400 million (US$12.30 million; US$1=NTS32.52) to NT$500 million (US$15.38 million). Vmax plans to select another equipment supplier for its WiMAX network infrastructure in Taoyuan and Hsinchu.
- Meanwhile, Mada Communications of Kuwait has also signed a WiMAX equipment supply agreement with Samsung, Korea's Chosun Ilbo reported. Mada expects to commence mobile WiMAX network deployment in Kuwait City starting in February 2009, aiming to spread the network nationwide by 2010.