Penang Wimax
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Clearwire to Embed WiMax in all Intel Core
Jun 24th
Clearwire, a 4G network provider with coverage in many cities, announced plans to put WiMax 4G connections in all Intel Core notebooks sold at Best Buy in time for holiday season. The move by Clear is an effort to expand their presence and comes on the heels of a new Mac 3G/4G dongle and hotspot adapters.
These Clear 4G equipped notebooks will feature embedded 4G connections so that users won’t need to carry around an extra USB dongle or MiFi-like portable hotspot. Though, there is currently no word on the cost of the embedded 4G modem. Monthly plans on Clear start at $40 and, unlike AT&T and Verizon’s 4G plans Clear’s plans are unlimited. When purchased with a 2-year Clear contract these notebooks will qualify for a $100 rebate.
To start, the Dell Inspiron 14, Dell Inspiron 15, Dell Mini 10, and Toshiba Satellite M645 notebooks will be equipped with the embedded 4G modems.
While there is no word on costs, comments from Clear’s Chief Commercial Officer in the press release announcing the partnership do allude to special pricing to get more users signed up for Clear 4G.
“Embedding 4G technology into laptops and netbooks makes it easy for consumers to experience CLEAR’s super fast mobile Internet service on the latest devices,” said Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer for Clearwire. “The discounted summer and holiday pricing on CLEAR-ready laptops from Intel and available through Best buy is another way Clearwire is working to meet the rapidly growing demand for true mobile broadband services in the U.S.”
Original article from http://www.notebooks.com/2010/06/22/clearwire-to-embed-wimax-in-all-intel-core-notebooks-at-bestbuy/
SK Telecom Takes Stake in WiMax Operator
May 31st
Korean carrier SK Telecom (Nasdaq: SKM) is to invest US$100 million for a 25 percent stake in Malaysian wimax operator Packet One Networks (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. (P1) as part of its plan to build a portfolio of wireless broadband service and ICT (information and communication technology) assets in Southeast Asia. (See SK Telecom Invests in P1 and SKT Plans $2.2B Spending Spree.)
P1 is one of a number of dedicated WiMax startups looking to capitalize on the demand for affordable broadband Internet access in developing markets where fixed-line access is limited. It has signed up more than 175,000 business and residential customers since its launch in late 2008 and claims to have generated revenues of nearly $44 million in 2009. (See ITU Day 2: WiMax Brings It.)
The operator recently announced a network expansion plan that will see it reach 65 percent of Malaysians by 2012, from around 45 percent this year, and plans to introduce WiMax-enabled laptop computers during 2010 to boost its market penetration. (See P1 Expands With ZTE and P1 Does WiMax in Malaysia.)
SK Telecom is attracted by the growth potential in Malaysia, a country of about 30 million people where mobile penetration is high (above 100 percent) but broadband penetration currently stands at about 33 percent. WiMax is regarded as the technology that can break the broadband hold of the incumbent carrier, Telekom Malaysia Berhad . (See Telekom Malaysia Faces WiMax Challenge.)
SK Telecom’s wireless broadband strategy isn’t limited to WiMax, though: The carrier was the first to launch an HSPA+ service in South Korea, plans to support Long Term Evolution (LTE), and has built out a network based on WiBro technology (Korea’s version of mobile WiMax) in its domestic market. (See SK Telecom Shows Off HSPA+, AlcaLu, SK Telecom Team Up, and WiBro Operators on Borrowed Time.)
SK Telecom’s investment, which values P1 at $400 million, comes at a tricky time for the WiMax community, as service providers, vendors, and analysts try to figure out the technology’s role in an LTE world. (See Yota: WiMax + LTE for Russia.)
