Going WiMAX

WiMAX as a Military Technology? February 21, 2008

Nortel Government Solutions is working with the US Department of Defense to explore possibilities for military use of WiMAX. An ideal situation for the Department of Defense would be a powerful wireless network that could instantly connect “anytime, anywhere” whether in the air, on the ground, or at sea. One vision of the use of WiMAX is quoted as follows from WiMAX Day:

In the arena of military tactics, WiMAX can be used to establish “links between temporary camps and command centres…. quick connections between camps and vehicles,” and with mobile WiMAX 802.16e “will allow constant communication with vehicles moving up to 60 miles per hour on the battlefield.” This is similar to a system that was developed for the Command Operations Center (COC) of the US Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) where WiMAX was integrated into mobile command units, combined with tactical radio and satellite systems.

This exploration is not just being undertaken by the United States. The French military has already arranged for the use of WiMAX via French WiMAX operator TDF. The Department of Defense is still waiting for “some standards to mature,” according to WiMAX Day. Whether or not WiMAX is adopted as part of a new technological  strategy depends on how the technology evolves and the overall future of the standard. 

Technorati Tags: WiMAX, US Department of Defense, military technology, Ari Zoldan

Ari Zoldan
Launch 3 Communications

New Estimate on Initial Xohm Soft-Launch February 15, 2008

Though there were echoes suggesting that Xohm would soft launch in Baltimore, Chicago and Washington, DC early this winter, these plans clearly did not materialize, leaving many wondering when this first big step for Xohm would come to fruition in the United States. As stated on a post on DailyTech, Sprint’s Vice President for Technology Development, Ali Tabassi, says that the time could be this spring.

This piece of information comes as a response to this past Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where products were enthusiastically displayed with some praises for the WiMAX and murmurs against LTE and competing technologies. Potential users in the United States, however, have yet to see WiMAX developments, making timing ever more crucial for Xohm. Tabassi already acknowledges that delays with Sprint mean that it will mostly likely not reach the hoped-for 100 million subscriber mark this year.

At the same time, though, there is plenty of behind the scenes development that could very well push Xohm ahead. Talks between Sprint and Clearwire are still reported to be near a close, with word of an additional $2 million investment from Intel and probably others. As the deal officially comes to a close the path ahead for Xohm should become clearer to investors and those interested in the progress of WiMAX.

Technorati Tags: WiMAX, Intel, Sprint, Clearwire, Ari Zoldan

Ari Zoldan
Launch 3 Communications

The First Mobile WiMAX Gaming Device January 29, 2008

There’s been plenty of talk about how WiMAX could work wonders for device integration as well as inciting a new era for mobile devices. Now some evidence of that is becoming clearer in the gaming world with the first WiMAX-enabled gaming device. POSBRO, a Korea-based company, has developed the WiMAX, WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled G100. It features a four-inch LCD touchscreen with a slide-out gaming pad reminiscent of a somewhat sleeker and more compact Nintendo DS. The G100 will also utilize the Opera browser for a “PC-quality” internet experience. The device is set for release early this year in Korea and in late 2008 to early 2009 in the United States. 

Needless to say the gaming industry is a huge one both in the United States and abroad. The mobile gaming industry in particular is poised for major growth, with revenue increasing from the millions to the billions, according to some projections.  If anything, it is thought that the somewhat limited nature of mobile technology in North America (slower connections, lapses in connectivity etc.) are what has hindered some of the potential growth in this area. WiMAX and the network speeds and reliability associated with it would allow for the development of more complex mobile games with richer graphics and better features. Devices like the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS have already made huge waves in the gaming industry without including particularly impressive web-based features. Devices like the G100 could set a new standard by raising the expectations of mobile gamers, thus realizing another niche WiMAX’s capabilities fall into. Simultaneously, the early introduction of WiMAX-enabled gaming devices would serve as a hook for the “YouTube generation” market; a market that plays a significant role in trend-setting and the successful adoption of new technologies.

Technorati Tags: WiMAX, mobile gaming, POSBRO G100, WiMAX-enabled devices, Ari Zoldan

Ari Zoldan
Launch 3 Communications

More WiMAX For Houston January 20, 2008

Some businesses in Texas will have more opportunities to sign up with WiMAX services as Airband Communications, Inc. announced that it will be expanding its reach and service by 50 percent in the Houston area. This expansion includes upgrading existing infrastructure and positioning new base stations around Northwest Freeway, Arena Towers, West Chase andSugarland. Each base station covers a radius of three to five miles, thus allowing Airband to service more businesses in those areas. The company has been providing WiMAX services for Houston since 2001.

But this may very well not be the last time Airband comes up in WiMAX news. According to an article posted in Centre Daily, Airband is upgrading its Houston market as part of a larger project. With clients already located in Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, LA, Philadelphia,Phoneix and elsewhere, Airband is developing a strategy to provide services nationwide. As Airband expands its footprint, we may soon hear of businesses in other major cities gaining WiMAX as an option for their data and VoIP services.

Technorati Tags: WiMAX, Airband, Houston, VoIP, Ari Zoldan

Ari Zoldan
Launch 3 Communications

Chrysler Poised to Connect Your Car With WIMAX January 14, 2008

Amid all the WiMAX demonstrations in cars and and the mobile flexibility WiMAX is set to offer, Chrysler has decided to jump on the bandwagon. At the North American International Auto Show, the company announced that it is working on a state-of-the-art in-vehicle communications system that will eventually feature wireless. The announcement was confirmed in a press release today.

Frank Klegon, Chrysler’s executive vice president of product development, explains the company’s thinking:

We recognize that customers are spending more and more time in their vehicles, and that the automobile is becoming much like an additional room in the home or office. To address this evolving reality, Chrysler vehicles will soon boast an unprecedented level of vehicle connectivity, delivering a wide array of important communications features directly to our customers, in their vehicles.

What does this mean for these future vehicle owners? If they thought features like in-vehicle DVD players, GPS and “hands-free” technologies like Bluetooth and voice command were great, what WIMAX can offer is incomparable. WiMAX-enabled vehicles will include internet search, voice-command e-mail access, streaming movies and music, file transfers, online shopping and more. So, practically speaking, while on a road trip your family could watch streaming video while you do an online search for local restaurants to check out at your next pit stop–all while keeping an eye on your office e-mail.

According to the press release plans are set for some of these features to be integrated in Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles “over the next few years.”

Technorati Tags: WiMAX, Chrysler, WiMAX car, new car features, Ari Zoldan

Ari Zoldan
Launch 3 Communications