Roaming solution provider Comfone, Alvarion and Iberbanda have developed roaming technology to take advantage of WiFi and mobile WiMAX.
The partnership enables service providers to deliver wireless connections by using Intel's WiMax Connection 2250 chip integrated into Alvarion's 4Motion product. The service runs over 3.5GHz spectrum provided by Spanish operator Iberbanda; the 3.5GHz spectrum is the most available spectrum in Europe.
The solution could be a boost for muni-WiFi networks. Muni-WiFi, to say the least, is going through a re-adjustment phase as cities shift from the mantra of bridging the digital divide to justifying these networks' existence based on solid business cases built around creating efficiency or saving money by wirelessly enabling functions such as meter reading and video surveillance. Technology-wise, WiFi has gotten a bad rap because it provides poor in-building coverage. Meanwhile, WiMAX players such as Sprint and Clearwire could use some anchor tenants to offer a solid revenue stream early on.
For more about the roaming solution:
- read this article from InformationWeek