WiMAX Forum® Announces Mobile WiMAXTM Certification Product Progress and Updates Technology Roadmap to Include 700 MHz

WiMAX Forum, Members Promote Mobile WiMAX at 2008 GSMA Mobile World Congress

Mobile World Congress 2008

The WiMAX Forum today announced that 28 Mobile WiMAX products in the 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz frequency bands have been submitted for WiMAX Forum certification since WiMAX Forum labs began accepting applications from vendors in late 2007. The organization further announced its official decision in support of significant market demand to expand the WiMAX Forum product development roadmap for Mobile WiMAX certification in the 700 MHz frequency band. These updates were delivered as part of a media luncheon hosted by the WiMAX Forum at 2008 GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

“With more than 260 commercial WiMAX deployments rolled-out on a global basis, WiMAX technology is the only commercially available OFDMA-based wireless technology today to support the rapid expansion of mobile broadband Internet access and the broad proliferation of the open Internet concept that so many mobile service providers are talking about here this week,” said Ron Resnick, president of the WiMAX Forum. “We expect this momentum to be evident at Mobile World Congress and at the upcoming WiMAX Forum Congress event series.”

Today’s WiMAX Forum media luncheon displayed the global excitement surrounding Mobile WiMAX deployments with testimonials from global service providers, including Freedom4, Iberbanda, KDDI, Korea Telecom and SprintNextel and who each indicated the readiness of WiMAX technology with certified products and the optimization of WiMAX networks for broadband data services as key motivators in selecting WiMAX technology for their next generation services.

Mobile WiMAX Certification Progress

The first Mobile WiMAX products are expected to achieve the WiMAX Forum Certified™ seal of approval in Q2 2008 and to reach the market later this year. In addition, the WiMAX Forum forecasts that more than 950 products will undergo Mobile WiMAX certification testing by 2011, representing an influx of new consumer devices and infrastructure equipment to support continued rapid WiMAX user adoption in the 2.3 GHz, 2.5 GHz, and 3.5 GHz frequency bands. The WiMAX Forum’s current network of six labs in China, Korea, Spain, U.S. and two in Taiwan will expand to nine with additions in Brazil, India and Japan to handle the anticipated certification demand.

Last week, the WiMAX Forum announced that it selected TTC-CCS as the second designated certification lab in Taiwan for both Fixed WiMAX and Mobile WiMAX certification services. AT4 wireless, the WiMAX Forum’s lead certification vendor, will facilitate the set up of the laboratory by second half of 2008 to run similar services to all the WiMAX Forum Designated Certification Laboratory (WFDCL) sites.

WiMAX Forum Technology Roadmap Expands to 700 MHz Frequency

With an increased interest in the 700 MHz band and more service providers around the world choosing WiMAX as their next generation mobile broadband technology of choice, the WiMAX Forum is adding this frequency range to its technology roadmap. Work on the technical specifications for 700 MHz WiMAX Forum certification is already underway in the association’s working groups. The published specifications will be unveiled as they are completed and they will support both TDD and FDD certification profiles.

“The WiMAX Forum will continue looking at new market opportunities and expanding the capabilities of its technology standards,” said Resnick. “The 700 MHz spectrum is set to become a key spectrum band globally and many administrations are now considering spectrum arrangements in the band. Interest in WiMAX deployments is also reinforced now that 802.16e is part of the IMT-2000 family of standards and certified products are becoming available. It is important to remember that the WiMAX Forum’s technical specifications are driven by the needs of our member companies and we will continue to explore and push the limits of the technology to best meet the industry’s needs.”

Mobile World Congress

Through its participation at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, the WiMAX Forum® sees the presence and influence of WiMAX™ technologies as a stronger contributor to the conference than ever before. The WiMAX Forum, in collaboration with its members, will be conducting a number of activities throughout the show to promote the WiMAX ecosystem on behalf of the industry.
Walk of WiMAX Booth Tour
More than 40 member companies will participate in a WiMAX Forum sponsored, self-guided booth tour, which will walk participants to each member company booth. To pick up a tour map, please visit the AT4 wireless booth in Hall 2, Booth E12. The tour participants will include the following ecosystem vendors: Agilent Technologies, Aircom International, Airspan, Alcatel-Lucent, Alvarion, Anite, Anritsu, Arraycomm, AT4 wireless, Bridgewater Systems, CelPlan, Cisco, Comsys Mobile, EB, Fujitsu, Hulu Sweden, Informa Telecoms & Media, Informa Publishing, Intel, Iskratel, L&T Infotech, Mentum, Motorola, NEC, NextWave Broadband, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, PA Consulting, PicoChip, Redline Communications, Rohde & Schwarz, Samsung, Sandvine, Sequans, SiGe Semiconductor, Spirent, SprintNextel, Starent, Tata Elxsi, Tele Atlas, Vecima, Wavesat, WiNetworks, ZTE.

Global Roaming Interoperability Demonstration
Several WiMAX Forum members are participating in a global roaming interoperability demonstration hosted at the Intel conference booth located in Hall 8, Booth 8B109. The demonstration shows how consumers can remain seamlessly connected to an Internet session using a single mobile device as they roam between WiMAX, Wi-Fi and UMTS enabled technology zones. Users are able to roam as a result of service provider networks enabled with automated subscription authentication mechanisms specified in 3GPP and the WiMAX Forum standards bodies. Participating companies include: Alvarion, Comfone, Ericsson, Intel, Kubi Wireless, Motorola, Orange, SprintNextel, Syniverse and the WiMAX Forum.

For more information on the WiMAX Forum, including its WiMAX Forum Congress Event Series or certification program, please visit the WiMAX Forum website at www.wimaxforum.org.

About WiMAX Forum®

The WiMAX Forum® is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization formed to certify and promote the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products based upon the harmonized IEEE 802.16/ETSI HiperMAN standard. A WiMAX Forum goal is to accelerate the introduction of these systems into the marketplace. WiMAX Forum Certified products are interoperable and support broadband fixed, nomadic, portable and mobile services. Along these lines, the WiMAX Forum works closely with service providers and regulators to ensure that WiMAX Forum Certified systems meet customer and government requirements. Through the WiMAX Forum Congress Events Series of global trade shows and events, the WiMAX Forum is committed to furthering education, training and collaboration to expand the reach of the WiMAX ecosystem. For more information, visit the trade show link at www.wimaxforum.org.

“WiMAX Forum” is a registered trademark of the WiMAX Forum. “WiMAX,” the WiMAX Forum logo, “WiMAX Forum Certified,” and the WiMAX Forum Certified logo are trademarks of the WiMAX Forum. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

Contacts

GolinHarris for WiMAX Forum
Mari Hancock, 713-513-9574
mhancock {at} golinharris(.)com