Deutsche Telekom backs out of WiMAX bid

Deutsche Telekom would not participate in the bidding for German high-speed Internet WiMAX licenses, an AFP report said.

'Following extensive technical trials, we have decided not to participate in the (Wimax) license auction,' Deutsche Telekom's fixed-telephony and Internet division, T-Com, said in a statement.

While WiMAX was 'certainly an interesting technolgy "&brkbar; it does not represent an alternative to the high-speed fixed-line Internet technology, which is evolving constantly,' the statement said.

T-Com therefore preferred to focus on the latter technology, the AFP report said.

WiMAX technology is of particular interest in rural areas where there is little or no fixed-line access, the AFP report further said.