Taiwanese WiMAX equipment makers and operators yesterday reiterated the upbeat prospects of the high-speed mobile technology in an attempt to appease concerns that Intel Corp’s recent decision to streamline its WiMAX task force could create a ripple effect and slow down the adoption of WiMAX globally.
This was the latest in a spate of developments after US chip giant Intel, the strongest supporter of WiMAX technology, said early this month that it planned to integrate its WiMAX Program Office with other business divisions.
Compared with rival LTE technology, “WiMAX is a mature technology that provides sufficient bandwidth for mobile users to access to [data-centric services from the Internet], and Taiwanese companies have built a sound supply chain here,” Howard Chen (陳鴻文), chairman of Gemtek Technology Co Ltd (正文科技), told a media briefing.
Gemtek, which supplies WiMAX-embedded modules for notebook computers to Intel, said it was increasing shipments of WiMAX products around the globe, including to India, and it expected that shipments would grow further next year.
“We do not see a setback in orders from Intel at all,” Chen said.
Spearheading local peers, Gemtek started shipping WiMAX products about four years ago.
Vmax Telecom Inc (威邁思), one of the nation’s 6 WiMAX operators, yesterday said it’s cooperation with Intel was continuing. Intel bought a 20 percent stake in Vmax in 2008 as part of the chipmaker’s efforts to boost global adoption of WiMAX technology.
Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦), the world’s No. 2 contract notebook computer maker, yesterday said it didn’t think Intel’s recent move would adversely affect local companies in the WiMAX supply chain. Quanta makes dongles, WiMAX-embedded modules and WiMAX-enabled laptops.
“Intel’s market share has shrunk fast as WiMAX technology becomes a mobile technology,” said Hsieh Tsung-ying (謝宗瑩), an associate vice president of Quanta, on the sideline of the press conference.
Currently, Intel only supplies 5 percent of the WiMAX chips used in Quanta’s products, Hsieh said. Local handset chip designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科), 4G chip suppliers Beccem Communications Inc and Sequans Communications are currently Quanta’s major chip supplier, he said.
“WiMAX could be smaller in scale, but local firms can learn from the experience and develop a business model suitable for 4G businesses in the future for overseas companies. Selling equipment and end products are not our focus,” Hsieh said.
Local electronics companies’ optimism was also built on the leading position of WiMAX technology, which has a 3-to-4-year technological advantage over LTE technology.
Next year, WiMAX subscribers are expected to rise to over 7.2 million globally from 4.7 million this year, according to statistics provided by the nation’s Consortium of Mobile Broadband (行動寬頻促進會). Next year, LTE users are expected to reach the one million mark, up from less than 10,000 this year, the organization said.
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