Greece plans WiMAX, regional network tenders

Greece is preparing to launch licence tenders for regional broadband networks and a national WiMAX network, local daily Kathimerini reports. US wireless operator Clearwire is one of seven parties bidding for the WiMAX licence, while Orange is thought to be looking at the regional tender. The licences are part of the Greek government's attempts to raise the penetration of broadband in the country, currently one of the lowest in the European Union. The tender divides Greece into seven regions and interested bidders can bid for rights in up to three regions. The networks can be fixed or wireless, are subject to minimum coverage requirements and can offer services at a maximum EUR 33 per month for households and EUR 54 for businesses. The US company Amperion, which specializes in broadband over powerline, plans to set up consortium with Tellas, the telecoms subsidiary of the Greek Public Power Corp, in order to bid for regional licences. Siemens may also join the consortium.

EETimes.com - Russia to put WiMax on trial

A large trial of WiMax installations is planned across Russia using Aperto Networks' PacketMAX products.

Avalcom, Aperto's leading reseller and systems integrator in Russia, has lined up nearly a dozen service providers in various regions of Russia and plans a series of pilot projects and trials over the next three months. Avalcom serves the greater Moscow region, as well as Siberia, the Ural region and Central Russia.

Skype GSM/Wi-Fi phones 'due this year' - ZDNet UK News

Dual-mode phones designed around Skype will probably hit the market by the end of the year, a senior representative of the company has revealed.

Speaking to ZDNet UK on Friday, Skype's UK manager Alistair Shrimpton said the Internet telephony giant was "currently working with all the major hardware companies such as Motorola and Nokia" to develop GSM/Wi-Fi devices with embedded Skype.

Intel announces mobile WiMax chip - ZDNet UK News

Intel's Rosedale II mobile WiMax chip was announced on Monday, which the company hopes will help further popularise the high-speed mobile technology.

The chip will see commercial trials in Europe by the end of this year, according to Chris Beardsmore, Intel's market development manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"Rosedale II is our first silicon that supports [mobile Wimax]… which gives us a migration story from [fixed Wimax] networks being deployed today," Beardsmore told ZDNet UK on Friday.

While fixed WiMax networks are planned for some areas of the UK, mobile WiMax has lagged behind in development. Mobile WiMax promises to bring high-speed, long-range wireless connectivity to laptops and handheld devices and is seen as rival to HSDPA or Super 3G, which is being pushed by many of the mobile operators such as Orange and T-Mobile.

Softbank and Motorola ink WiMAX deal: CommsUpdate : TeleGeography Research

Softbank and Motorola ink WiMAX deal: CommsUpdate : TeleGeography Research

Axtel EBITDA up 17% in 2Q: CommsUpdate : TeleGeography Research

Mexican wireline operator Axtel has reported a 17% rise in EBITDA for the second quarter of 2006, on the back of a steady increase in subscribers and revenues. Revenues increased to MXN1.414 billion (USD130 million) in the second quarter, from MXN1.241 billion in the same period of 2005, leading to an adjusted EBITDA of MXN503 million, up from MXN431.3 million a year earlier. Axtel launched fixed-wireless services in Celaya in Guanajuato state in June and now has a presence in 16 cities. It targets markets where there is little competition in the local telephony sector other than from fixed line incumbent Telmex; it plans to have networks in 30 to 40 cities by the end of 2007. At the end of June 2006 Axtel had 696,968 lines in service, up from 605,904 at the start of the year.

Pipex moves closer to WiMax launch - ZDNet UK News

Pipex moves closer to WiMax launch - ZDNet UK News

Maxtel, Bollore, HDRR sweep French WiMAX licence awards

French telecommunication regulator Arcep has awarded Maxtel, a group including motorways operator APRR and Iliad's Altitude Telecom, 13 of the country's 22 regional WiMAX WLL licences. It was followed by 10 percent Aeroports de Paris (ADP)-owned Bollore Telecom with 12 regional licences, and HDRR, a consortium comprising TDF and LD Collectivites, with 11. SFR and Neuf Cegetel-backed SHD won two. France Telecom won none in continental France, but one in French Guiana and another in Mayotte. A large number of regional government authorities were successful as well. Two licences were attributed for each region. Arcep said that over 3,500 WiMAX sites will be deployed by June 2008. The state will collect a total of EUR 125 million from the licence winners in 2006. See the websites of the major WiMAX licence winners for self-congratulatory press releases.

Navini Releases 2.3GHz Pre-Mobile WiMAX Platform :WirelessInsight Asia

Navini Networks has announced its pre-mobile WiMAX Ripwave MX platform, in the 2.3 GHz frequency. The platform is said to be a “2.3 GHz a major WiMAX 16e frequency for personal broadband worldwide. The 2.3 GHz is currently defined as WCS which has some stringent FCC requirements for emission masks and limitations on providing mobility. Navini is currently the only vendor to have commercial deployment of 2.3Ghz in the U.S., and also the only vendor capable of deploying within the constraints of all WCS blocks, including C and D.

Intel, Motorola Invest $900m in WiMAX

ntel and Motorola said Wednesday that they would invest $900 million in Kirkland, Wash. based Clearwire, a company that sells wireless access based on an early version of WIMAX technology In 26 markets. Intel will invest $600 million, while Motorola would purchase the company's hardware business, as well as contribute part of the remaining $300 million.

Intel's Chip Plans Give WiMax A Mighty Push Forward

On that front, Intel last week pushed the zoom-ahead button, disclosing plans to deliver by year's end a new chipset called Rosedale 2 that should make it easier to access WiMax from mobile computers. By early next year, Intel predicts some PC makers will be building those chips into laptops, and that may be the jump start the industry needs. Think of the role having Intel's Wi-Fi-friendly Centrino chips in so many laptops played in the proliferation of hot-spots in offices, homes, and public places the past few years.

Siemens installs first WiMAX network in Latin America

Siemens Communications has installed Latin America’s first commercial WiMAX network for Orbitel, Colombia’s leading long-distance operator. The new network is located in Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, and provides wireless internet access on the basis of Siemens’ WayMAX@vantage solution comprising base stations, modems and a monitoring and control system. Over the coming months, Orbitel will start to roll out the Siemens WiMAX technology in a further 14 major Colombian cities.

Clearwire Sucks in Nearly $1b in Cash for Mobile WiMax Deployment

Craig McCaw’s broadband wireless firm Clearwire raises $600m from Intel Capital, $300m from others: The latest revolutionary wireless firm founded by McCaw aims to deploy mobile broadband wireless worldwide using mobile WiMax (part of 802.16e-2005). Part of the money comes from Motorola purchasing Clearwire’s NextNet equipment subsidiary, which has been manufacturing and prototyping gear for Clearwire’s network, starting with customer premises equipment (CPE), or the fixed receivers plugged in at homes.

Mobile WiMax Takes Fixed Field - Wireless Networking News Analysis

It may not be long before the "d" in 802.16d stands for "defunct." More and more WiMax companies acknowledge that 802.16e -- the standard often called "mobile WiMax" -- is in demand for fixed deployments, too.

"We think the basic technology for WiMax will be 802.16e," says Tzvika Friedman, president and CEO of Alvarion Ltd. (Nasdaq: ALVR - message board), a WiMax pioneer and early proponent of 802.16d. "We plan to come out with 'e-ready' systems by the end of the year," Friedman says.

Siemens installs first WiMAX network in Latin America

Siemens Communications has installed Latin America’s first commercial WiMAX network for Orbitel, Colombia’s leading long-distance operator. The new network is located in Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, and provides wireless internet access on the basis of Siemens’ WayMAX@vantage solution comprising base stations, modems and a monitoring and control system. Over the coming months, Orbitel will start to roll out the Siemens WiMAX technology in a further 14 major Colombian cities.

3 slams fixed-mobile convergence - Mobile & Wireless - Breaking Business and Technology News at silicon.com

Third-generation mobile operator 3 has slammed the idea of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC), labelling the technology a niche product.