Samsung has demonstrated several WiMax and WiBro products, signaling its intention of becoming a major WiMax player (in fact, Samsung first successfully demonstrated WiBro services with mobility in November 2004). By the fourth quarter of 2005, the company will unveil Mobile WiMax systems and terminals, including Access Control Router (ACR), Radio Access Station (RAS), PCMCIA cards for laptops, and mobile handsets. WiBro, a South Korean version of WiMax that will enable the world's first Mobile WiMax service, will start in April 2006 in South Korea. The commercial launch of WiBro will hasten the proliferation of Mobile WiMax technology in other Asian markets.
Samsung's Mobile WiMax is based on 802.16e and will be compliant with WiMAX Forum requirements (Samsung was elected to the Board of Directors of the WiMAX Forum in April 2005). WiBro services can currently be offered to users with 4Mbps downlink and 2Mbps uplink capability. Samsung analysts forecast that there will be more than 16 million mobile WiMax users within the next few years, and that mobile WiMax chipset revenues could reach more than $700 million by 2010.
For more on Samsung's WiBro:
- see this TelecomsKorea's report