A Real WiMax Chip? Well, Not Really
While there have been many completely bogus claims concerning "pre-standard" WiMax equipment, which is simply proprietary equipment that someone expects to upgrade (often not an easy process) to WiMax when it exists, WaveSat is now claiming that they have the first chip that actually complies with the 802.16-2004 WiMax standard... Of course, the WiMax Forum isn't actually certifying any equipment until sometime in the middle of next year, so you have to take WaveSat's word for it, for now. Expect to see plenty of similar announcements in the near future, none of which really mean much until someone is actually certifying equipment as WiMax compliant. Derek adds: It doesn't mean much unless the forum tests and certifies the product. Compliance testing is essential to realize the value of a standard.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: wimax
