- China's Huawei Technologies has been chosen by
KACST (King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology) of Saudi Arabia and
Intel to supply base stations, access network gateway, authentication servers,
and related equipment and software for their joint Wireless Technologies
Research & Development Center for WiMAX technology, Nikkei reported on July
8, 2009. Intel and Huawei have signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration,
whereby Huawei will provide the solution for building access and core WiMAX
network in the R&D center. Expected to begin operations in a few months,
this center is projected to offer validation for WiMAX infrastructure equipment
and engage in interoperability testing, performance optimization studies,
pre-certification testing, as well as experiments for new WiMAX services and
applications.
- Russian telecom operator Yota is eyeing
opportunities to partner MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd.) and BSNL (Bharat
Sanchar Nigam Ltd.) for WiMAX services in India, The Hindu Business Line of
India reported on July 5. It is reported that Yota is currently in talks with
the two Indian telecoms for cooperation on WiMAX. Yota seeks to ally with MTNL
for WiMAX service in Delhi and Mumbai and partner BSNL for the rest of India.
By forming alliance with MTNL and BSNL, the only two telecoms in India already
awarded WiMAX spectrum, Yota can avoid having to compete with other contenders
in the spectrum auction slated for a later date this year. According to The
Hindu Business Line report, there are a number of Japanese and Malaysian
companies also in talks with Indian companies for WiMAX collaboration.