Chaos

"Last mile" fixed wireless broadband technology known as WiMAX (define) continues to gain momentum with four new telecommunications providers joining the industry working group WiMAX Forum.

The service providers that signed up with the WiMAX forum Monday yesterday, BT, France Telecom, Qwest Communications, Reliance Telecom and XO Communications.

The non-profit WiMAX Forum exists to promote and eventually certify the IEEE 802.16 standard for fixed wireless broadband Metropolitan Area Networks and ETSI HiperMAN specifications. The WiMAX certified endorsement the group is working on will guarantee that devices and products conform to the standard and are interoperable.

"It's a pretty important announcement," said Dean Chang, who chairs the service provider working group of the WiMAX Forum.

"We definitely need to get the support of service providers that plan to roll out WiMAX certified equipment when it becomes available," he told internetnews.com.

Service providers make up 25 percent of the WiMAX Forum's current membership, which now stands at 98. The service providers also have their own working group within the forum, which allows them to collaborate and provide input on requirements which will be essential to market adoption.

"One one of the things we're trying to do with this group is to accelerate the adoption of WiMAX equipment," Chang said.

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