The WiMAX Forum announced the organization plans to create the first ever WiMAX Forum Designated Certification Laboratory in India by 2008. This laboratory will be part of WiMAX Forum’s global initiative of establishing and operating such centers in key telecom markets.
“India’s ecosystem is strategic to the success of WiMAX technology, and we are committed to expanding WiMAX Forum regional office initiatives to include the approval of a WiMAX Forum Certification Laboratory in India,” said Ron Resnick, President and Chairman of WiMAX Forum. “WiMAX is the key to addressing India’s huge market demand for broadband Internet, and preparing to meet the future needs of the country’s communication needs.”
WiMAX Forum Certified™ equipment gives operators a powerful platform to roll out advanced services and applications across a wide range of devices. By establishing the Certification Laboratory in India will enable WiMAX equipment vendors in India to accelerate the certification process targeting the India market.
Emphasizing the broadband policy and allocation of the spectrum for broadband deployment is the most important issue to be addressed in India, Dr. Mohammad Shakouri, Vice-President Marketing of the WiMAX Forum added. “A most important issue is that of allocation of spectrum in the 2.5GHz band.” With the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approving the inclusion of WiMAX technologies in the IMT-2000 set of standards earlier this year, WiMAX spectrum will become more readily available to operators worldwide increasing the potential of building cost effective wireless telecommunication infrastructure in India to help it compete with the global economy. “The WiMAX Forum will continue to work with the Indian government and existing telecommunications organizations to promote and substantiate that adequate spectrum and bandwidth is allocated for WiMAX deployments while presenting no conflict with existing technologies” he further added.
"India is one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world, and WiMAX technology has a major role to play in meeting the aspirations of the government and the acceleration of eCommerce to ensure the economy remains robust and sustains its current growth rate," Mr. Resnick continued.
"We are excited about the prospect of witnessing one of the largest WiMAX deployments, which would connect rural India and make eGovernance, eEducation and eHealth available to everyone."
To bolster the activities of WiMAX in India, the WiMAX Forum India Summit held this week brings together WiMAX Forum representatives and members, Indian government officials and Indian telecommunications companies to discuss the most pressing issues in the WiMAX market in India, in addition to deployments, spectrum allocation, regulatory issues and global WiMAX initiatives. The event will address India's unique roll in advancing the WiMAX ecosystem on a global basis as well as the benefits of WiMAX as the next generation standard to offer broadband services throughout India.
The WiMAX Forum is also participating in the India Telecom Conference. These initiatives are being supported by WiMAX Forum members to include Airspan Networks, Alcatel-Lucent, Alvarion, Intel Corporation, Telsima and Wavesat, Inc. The WiMAX Forum member companies will display their products and demonstrate live end-to-end WiMAX solutions during the Conference.
About WiMAX Forum
The WiMAX Forum® is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization formed to certify and promote the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products based upon the harmonized IEEE 802.16/ETSI HiperMAN standard. A WiMAX Forum goal is to accelerate the introduction of these systems into the marketplace. WiMAX Forum Certified products are interoperable and support broadband fixed, nomadic, portable and mobile services. Along these lines, the WiMAX Forum works closely with service providers and regulators to ensure that WiMAX Forum Certified systems meet customer and government requirements. Through the WiMAX Forum Congress Events Series of global trade shows and events, the WiMAX Forum is committed to furthering education, training and collaboration to expand the reach of the WiMAX ecosystem. For more information, visit the trade show link at www.wimaxforum.org.