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Technology Stocks : LAST MILE TECHNOLOGIES - Let's Discuss Them Here
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To: Michael Hart who wrote (12660)11/9/2003 2:35:03 PM
From: Rob S.  Read Replies (1) of 12823
 
The leaders in 802.16a/.16e and in terms of market share for existing systems are Alvarion and Wi-Lan. Wi-Lan has a patent on W-OFDM used as a core technology in 802.16a and has an infringement lawsuit against Redline. Redline, of course, claims that they do not infringe.

Wi-Lan is working with Fujitsu on development of merchant 802.16a ICs. This agreement has been in place for about a year while Intel officially committed to 802.16a chip development earlier this year. Alvarion has an agreement with Intel to help them with their chip development. Recently Intel has signed on Redline, Proxim, and Airspan to build systems using their chips. Of these, Redline is probably contributing to Intel's IC development. I don't think that any of these companies get compensated for design help but, of course, would retain any IP rights they currently have. WaveSat claims to be the first company out with 802.16a chips that they offer for sale to others.

All claims about compliance with 802.16a are pretty meaningless until systems are designed and tested for compliance with WiMAX, the 802.16a compliance body. Because 802.16a covers an extremely broad spectrum of frequencies and technologies, it is very possible to build systems compliant with 802.16a that will stay proprietary. WiMAX establishes the system definitions and testing requirements to assure vendor inter-operability. This compliance definition and testing is on a systems level, not on an IC level. So systems that meet the same compliance definition may be built using Intel, Fujitsu or proprietary ICs. Alvarion and Wi-Lan will likely be the first to be out with WiMAX compliant systems. Alvarion says that they will have a pre-Intel chip (using programmable gate arrays) based WiMAX system early in 2004, followed in the summer with systems converted to the Intel ICs when they are available. Wi-Lan should have their WiMAX system out by the second quarter. As far as I know it will be based on early production ICs from Fujitsu rather than programmable chips or custom ASICs.
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