Many in India pin hopes on WiMAX

India is a late comer to wireless technology but it's now embracing it with a vengeance. Indian analysts and industry insiders say that WiMAX deployments will both exploit as well as accelerate this growing trend on the subcontinent. They argue that WiMAX promises to offer India widespread Internet access that will form the basis for economic growth and better educational and health care services--the latter two of which are often unavailable in remote, rural areas. The introduction of WiMAX will benefit the urban middle class as well, as it will make improved entertainment services more readily available.

WiMAX companies have taken note. Intel is working within the Indian wireless industry to drive the deployment of both WiFi and WiMAX networks. Aperto boasts at least six WiMAX clients in India, including VSNL, which recently completed the deployment of their WiMAX-class PacketWAVE multi-service broadband wireless system in more than 65 cities in India. This was only the first deployment phase, with the company setting a goal to grow the network to cover more than 200 cities within 12 months.

For more on WiMAX in India:
- see this detailed Express Computer report