WiMax Wannabes Don't Want To Wait
Get the feeling that the various WiMax vendors are recognizing the backlash over the technology, and the various delays to it ever actually hitting the market? Despite delays in the certification process, Alvarion, Airspan and Redline are getting together to start some interop testing on their own, basically recognizing the need to do something to combat all of the stories coming out about the various delays and timelines. Meanwhile, LG and Nortel are trying to push forward with even more non-existent mobile WiMax, in an effort to push that standard forward as well. It may all just be in response to the WiMax backlash, but at least they’re trying to do something other than just promote more falsehoods about the technology. Derek adds: I’m at CTIA today, where I heard Eric Stonestrom, CEO of Airspan make this announcement, and think it’s a step in the right direction for WiMAX: We need to be convinced that the talk of interoperability is real. However, in the shuttle van from the airport to my hotel, I got into a conversation with a guy who was at Intel for 5 years, followed by two years of consulting for Alvarion, who said (unsolicited, I may add) that Intel got into WiMAX and co-opted the strategy of the technology, if not at least the messaging. He argued that mobility wasn’t the end point until the chipmaker took the reins. I keep hearing mixed messages when I get WiMAX backers to speak freely. And people wonder why we’re doubtful of WiMAX mobility.
Filed Under: wimax
