Shocker -- First WiMAX Equipment Actually Certified
from the finally dept
Even as late as yesterday there were rumors that certification of the first WiMAX equipment wouldn't be completed in time to make the WiMAX Forum's self-appointed goal of having an announcement to make at a broadband trade show this week, but in a development completely atypical of the delay-ridden history of WiMAX, they actually made it -- three base stations and one piece of customer-premises equipment are the first real, certified WiMAX products. But, as Steve Stroh points out, this equipment has been certified for 3.5GHz spectrum only -- spectrum only being used outside the US. So, regardless of what press releases and news articles say, there's still no WiMAX in the US. Also, certification testing of 5.8GHz WiMAX equipment -- the stuff that operates in unlicensed frequencies that's spawned the "anybody can be a broadband provider with WiMAX!" stories -- won't begin until the end of the year in the very best case.
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
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: No Subject Given
(I wonder if I could hook extenders into neighbors vehicles...set up a roaming, expandable net)
Skynet...here I come!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Importation
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Sure,but the FCC wouldn't like that
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Sure,but the FCC wouldn't like that
Current Centrino chips _can not_ become WiMAX-enabled through a software upgrade. Their radios simply don't support it.
Furthermore, WiMAX equipment isn't like WiFi -- it's carrier-grade gear, not something you use to set up a home network.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Sure,but the FCC wouldn't like that
But on the other hand...competing standards can be a good thing...hmmm
[ link to this | view in thread ]