Reports early last month [1] claimed that Intel was interested in investing about $1 billion to $2 billion into a rumored Sprint-Clearwire WiMAX joint venture, but one analyst is throwing cold water on Intel's potential role in such a JV.
"There is very little precedent for Intel making a $1 billion to $2 billion investment in a non-core business," JP Morgan analyst Jonathan Chaplin said after attending an Intel analyst event last week.
Chaplin pointed out that Intel's entire R&D budget is in the $1 billion to $2 billion range, and WiMAX is but one of several initiatives. Chaplin said it was far more likely that Intel would join a consortium of investors, which could include Google, handset makers and wireline or cable operators, to fund a Sprint-Clearwire joint venture.
For more on the comments:
- read this report [2] from Telecoms.com
Related Articles:
Intel invests in WiMAX chipmaker Article [3]
Intel, NDS announce TV-over-WiMAX demo Article [4]
Intel to announce WiMAX Centrino chipset Article [5]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/rumor-mill-intel-investing-2b-in-sprintclearwire/2008-02-15?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss
[2] http://www.telecoms.com/itmgcontent/tcoms/news/articles/20017515700.html
[3] http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/intel-invests-in-wimax-chipset-maker/2006-03-07
[4] http://www.fierceiptv.com/story/intel-nds-announce-tv-over-wimax-demo/2006-05-04
[5] http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/intel-announces-wimax-and-wifi-chip/2008-02-05