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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Nokia Finally Commits to Mobile WiMAX
Intel and Nokia announced today that they will collaborate on several areas in support of mobile WiMAX technology, based on the IEEE 802.16e standard, including mobile clients, network infrastructure and market development. Intel already collaborates in the 802.16e domain with leading telecom vendors Alcatel, LG Electronics and ZTE.
Julien Grivolas, Analyst at Ovum, comments:
Comment: "Nokia has a tumultuous relationship with WiMAX. Nokia is a Founding member of the WiMAX Forum but decided to leave the organisation in May 2004, only to return a month later. The industry was understandably slightly confused regarding the Finnish company's WiMAX strategy, but this partnership with Intel demonstrates Nokia's willingness to integrate mobile WiMAX solutions into its radio access technology portfolio. Nokia considers WiMAX as a complement to its 3G offering and a step towards next-generation 3GPP mobile technologies that will use several techniques such as OFDM and smart-antenna technologies already used in 802.16e. The companies will collaborate in order to accelerate development of the IEEE 802.16e standard, which mobile WiMAX will be based on. The idea is to avoid the delays experienced with the fixed version of WiMAX, based on the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard, and from which the industry is still waiting for certified products.
Reading between the lines of recent announcements, could we imagine that Nokia is thinking about integrating mobile WiMAX into its mobile handsets in the future? If that were the case, the addition of Nokia to Intel's mobile WiMAX ecosystem would be very important for the WiMAX industry from an end-user device perspective, because it could bring Nokia's expertise and market leadership to the WiMAX cause. Together with the integration of 802.16e chipsets into laptops, the integration of WiMAX directly into handsets is a key driver for mobile WiMAX adoption. For instance, in South Korea, SK Telecom plans to launch its WiBro services in 2006 with a dual-mode WiBro/CDMA2000 1x handset."
About Ovum
Ovum, the analyst and consulting company, is the largest European-headquartered advisor on telecoms, software and IT services.
Resolutely independent, Ovum advises large corporates, IT and software vendors, IT services providers, telecoms operators, regulators, service providers, and equipment suppliers. It analyses the commercial impact of technology and market changes, and has a real strength in advising on the developments where telecoms, software and IT services interact.
Ovum takes a global perspective on leading-edge developments from our offices in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Its experts spot the short-term issues that will have an immediate impact on markets and organisations, and advise on the longer-term 'visionary' aspects that form the basis of strategic planning.
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