NEC wins UQ WiMAX deal
UQ Communications, a mobile WiMAX operator in Japan, has selected NEC to supply 802.16e base stations.
Having lived the first half of my adult life in the UK and the second half in Australia, it is little wonder that I have such a strong affinity with the underdog in a given situation, since both countries have cultures that root for the little guy to succeed over a bigger, stronger opponent.
The WiMAX Forum has not had too much to cheer about in recent times: Some key WiMAX operators have jumped ship to join the LTE camp, and WiMAX’s fate in the key market of India hangs on the whims of spectrum winner Infotel Broadband Services, backed by Reliance Industries.
UQ Communications, a mobile WiMAX operator in Japan, has selected NEC to supply 802.16e base stations.
The overwhelming majority of WiMAX operators require devices to be WiMAX Forum certified.
Michael Lai, the charismatic CEO of P1, a 2.3GHz WiMAX operator in Malaysia, is candid about the size of the challenge facing the WiMAX community. “This year is a defining year for WIMAX,” he says. “It’s got to happen and it’s got to happen big.”