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WiMAX conference to open on Monday

The government and the WiMAX Forum will host a technology conference in Taipei next week that is expected to bring NT$140 billion (US$4.3 billion) in revenues for local telecom equipment makers by 2012, a government official said yesterday.

The Portland, Oregon-based WiMAX Forum, which is chaired by Intel Corp's Ron Resnick, has 460 members -- mostly operators, and component and equipment firms.

Some 71 firms from abroad and at home will join the WiMAX Forum Taipei Showcase on Monday and Tuesday at the Taipei International Conventional Center -- including Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Siemens Networks and Motorola Inc -- co-organizer Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI, 工研院) said.

"The conference aims to facilitate technological exchanges between local companies and global firms, thereby bringing more business opportunities to export-oriented Taiwanese firms," said Wang Chang-ying (王嫦瑛), a director at the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The WiMAX Forum plans to set up a WiMAX certification test lab in Taiwan that will help local companies manufacture products compatible to equipment made by global telecom equipment makers, Wang said. The government was a prime mover in getting the lab located here.

"Local firms should primarily benefit from the booming sales of WiMAX customer premises equipment [CPE] in 2009 as well as base stations before the popularization of WiMAX service," Wang said.

On the back of a positive market sentiment, shares of the nation's major telecom equipment makers, including Zyxel Communication Corp (合勤), Gemtek Technology Co (正文) and Accton Technology Corp (智邦), jumped 5.08 percent, 2.22 percent and 6.75 percent to NT$62, NT$73.6 and NT$17.4 respectively yesterday.

The ministry is scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding with more global firms on Monday to supply technologies, or sourcing WiMAX-related components from Taiwanese makers, Wang said.

She declined to reveal names of companies.

In October 2005, the government signed a similar deal with Intel Corp, followed by Nortel and NEC Corp in May of this year, Wang said.

During next week's conference, local mobile operators who have WiMAX licenses -- including Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信) and Tatung InfoComm Co (大同電信) -- will offer visitors a sample of their technology.

Far EasTone will provide high-speed data transmission using WiMAX technology on shuttle buses, while Tatung will show its distant medical care services for people living in remote areas.
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