«(...) WiMax is even better than WiFi -- that very local wireless way computers and phones can connect to the Internet.
WiMax would give consumers high-speed access to the Internet using phones, mobile devices and laptops. Mobile video might benefit the most because WiMax would allow high quality pictures to be transmitted over the air.
(...) The eventual construction of a high-speed, wide-area quality wireless link to the Internet has tremendous repercussions for the traditional radio industry that would just like all technology to go away and let it return to transistor radios.
Universal WiMax would make it seamless for consumers to have Internet-based music, information, communication with them everywhere. The advantage that radio transmission now has -- it's everywhere and it's free -- would be reduced to one thing.
It's still free. (...) If automakers are including WiFi capability in some new cars, can you imagine what WiMax -- a much wider range signal from transmitter to transmitter -- would mean to terrestrial radio operators?»

Jerry Del Colliano, Watch WiMax Inside Music Media, 17/04/08

“The show in Las Vegas was a busy time for Sprint. In addition to the soft launch, the company has announced a number of new Xohm agreements** for portal services and WiMAX devices…

“The promise of WiMAX technology is remarkable: data transmission speeds as fast as 70 Mbps over distances as great as 50 kilometers. Transmission speeds do drop over distance, however, and it is a shared-bandwidth technology, so actual mileage may vary. A more common metric for the service is 10 Mbps over 10 kilometers. Nonetheless, WiMAX offers the potential for significantly faster and far-reaching wireless Internet than cellular data transmissions or the more well-known WiFi» fonte:

«Sprint Nextel and Clearwire called off a plan to join forces to build a nationwide high-speed wireless network using WiMax technology. The companies said they could not come to agreement on terms of the deal, announced in July.
Sprint had positioned WiMax as a way to let customers surf the Web on laptops, cell phones and other portable devices at speeds up to some five times faster than cellular networks now offer. The company had intended to launch mobile broadband services in initial markets by year-end and planned a larger rollout encompassing 100 million customers by the end of 2008.
Sprint says this week it remains committed to developing WiMax and is on track for a soft launch this year in the Chicago and Baltimore/Washington markets, with commercial launch in 2008.
A source told The Washington Post one of the things the companies could not agree on was how many cell towers each company should build to support WiMax and the pace of that deployment. Now that Sprint is “hobbled” with WiMax, there’s a question as to how fast other companies, such as Intel and Motorola, can roll out the technology, analysts told the Post. One said the Sprint news “was not a death knell” for WiMax, but is certainly a sign that its rollout is further out than previously believed.»

fonte: «Sprint, Clearwire End WiMax Collaboration», Radioworld, 16/11/07

 

de um artigo de Skip Pizzi no Radio World:

«There is also a natural reluctance to jump into new services when they first launch — particularly if there is a cost involved (for hardware and/or service). The typical predilection — even among relatively open-minded early adopters — is to “give it some time” to stabilize, mature, work out the kinks, etc., by which time many such new offerings have already given up the ghost.
(...) Next up is wide deployment of wireless broadband (WiMax, etc.), which brings substantial portability and otherwise increased availability (i.e., higher Convenience) to Internet radio. It is unlikely that wireless Internet radio will ever match local radio’s user friendliness, however, particularly in terms of one-button, instant access.

Yet wireless Internet radio’s proliferation of portable, narrow music formats may actually hurt satellite radio more than it does local radio. Is the enemy of my enemy my friend?»

fonte: «Will Radio’s Inertia Be Its Savior?», Radio World, by Skip Pizzi, 11.07.2007

«Last week in Chicago, Sprint hosted a river boat tour for a group of technology journalists and industry insiders designed to show off its newest project: WiMax wireless technology. The product, dubbed "Xohm: WiMax from Sprint", showcased the potential of the new wireless technology, which uses high-power antennas to transmit wireless signals over much larger distances than a traditional Wi-Fi system. Guests were encouraged to use the variety of devices on board, from laptops to cell phones, over the wireless network set up by Sprint around Chicago's downtown area. (...) According to Ars Technica, the Xohm network is slated for a full launch in Chicago, Baltimore and Washington D.C. by March or April 2008. Sprint plans to follow the launch with a nationwide rollout, and should reach all major markets in the U.S. by the end of 2008»

«U.S. auto buyers, however, won't have to wait until next year to get wireless Internet access on-the-go. The Ford Sync system, developed in tandem with Microsoft, is landing in an increasing number of 2008 models, and as this video shows off, delivers a simple Internet radio solution to consumers via the Sync system.
For a technology like broadcast radio that has enjoyed "ubiquity" for decades in cars, homes, and every other place radio waves reach, the advent of universal wireless Internet access should be seen as a healthy chance to expand their businesses to a new medium. These two developments reflect the booming consumer demand for Internet in the everywhere and all-the-time varieties. Like panelists and experts repeatedly pointed out at the NAB Radio Show, broadcasters would be smart to give the people what they want.»

fonte: «WiMax, new autotech reflect growing options for broadcasters». RAIN, 01/10/07

«Radio is dead, right? Not according to a little company called Phoenix. These guys brought their A game to the Digital Life convention today, showcasing a line of Wi-Fi radios and wireless speakers that look and sound good enough to compete with the big boys….almost. The Com one Wi-Fi radio sports an integrated W-LAN chip that automatically detects and connects to existing wireless access points. Once connected, it allows you to search for and listen to any number of currently available Internet radio stations. The on board LCD displays relevant track information, and there are 8 programmable favorites buttons that allow you to key in your 8 favorite stations. Very convenient. It’s a solidly built unit, and the built-in speakers sounded okay, but we wish they had either scrapped them entirely, or settled on a more sophisticated pair. Oh well. That said, there is a line out jack allowing you to connect and interface with external speakers of your choice. At the end of the day, this is a cool little unit, but Phoenix has a bit of work to do before they can step to the likes of Tivoli and others. Another shot after the break!»?

fonte: «Phoenix Com one Wi-Fi radio», BoyGeniusReport, Joshua Karp on Sep 29, 2007

«From SiliconValley.com: "Notebook computers should begin reaching stores with the next generation of wireless technology — the long-range technology WiMax — by late 2008, Intel confirmed Friday.  "The Santa Clara chip maker this week began shipping a chipset — or package of chips — that includes WiMax to computer makers for testing, said Sriram Viswanathan, a general manager. It anticipates the product, called Echo Peak, will be available commercially in late 2008... "It will be built into portable computers and mobile Internet devices, making access to WiMax networks easier. Intel has delayed the release of the product several times."»

fonte: «high-power wireless net to be built-in in laptops, mobiles in '08», RAIN, 06/08/07

Diz Mark Ramsey: «It is very likely that the so-called "radio" you now own will be the last one you ever buy».

Tudo por causa da explosão, que se adivinha, das redes 4G dos telemóveis, a tecnologia wi-Max: «Analysts are bullish on the prospects for Wi-Max. Boston-based Yankee Group is forecasting 28 million subscribers by 2011, while research firm In-Stat says Wi-Max infrastructure equipment and devices will become a billion market within four years, up from 7 million today. Wi-Max "will enable all sorts of new devices we've never even thought of," says Fred Wright, senior VP for networks and enterprise at Motorola. "Any applications that are cumbersome today because the cell phone can't provide a fast enough data rate, those will be the sweet spots Wi-Max will be able to address."

«A coalition of large technology companies wants to bring high-speed internet access to consumers in a new way: over television airwaves. The six that make up the coalition - Microsoft, Google, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Philips - want the Federal Communications Commission to allow idle TV channels, known as white space, to be used to beam the internet into homes and offices, writes the Washington Post. But the FCC must first be convinced that such traffic would not leak outside designated channels and interfere with existing broadcasts. If a device submitted to government labs passes muster, versions could hit stores by early 2009. The new device would create competition among phone and cable companies that deliver high-speed Internet potentially driving prices down and would make it possible to deliver broadband to rural areas. Google joined the coalition because the effort could create opportunities to transmit information over new platforms. It also might strengthen Google's hand should the traditional internet pipelines - big phone and cable companies - start charging internet companies higher prices to move content more swiftly to consumers. »

fonte: «Tech Giants Pushing Use of Airwaves for Internet», MarketingVox, 14/03/07

«Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa outlined plans Tuesday to blanket Los Angeles with wireless Internet access in 2009, in what would be one of the nation's largest urban Wi-Fi networks.
The L.A. Wi-Fi initiative would give Los Angeles residents, schools, businesses and visitors uninterrupted high-speed Internet connections — for work, research, Web browsing or even phone calls.
More than 300 municipalities nationwide already have launched plans for similar networks based on the Wi-Fi technology that has become popular at coffee shops, bookstores, public parks and countless other so-called hot spots. Such networks are operating in parts of such cities as Anaheim, San Jose, Philadelphia and Portland, Ore.
"With L.A. Wi-Fi, we are dedicating ourselves to the idea that universal access to technology makes our entire economy stronger," Villaraigosa said. Municipal Wi-Fi networks cost on average 5,000 per square mile to set up and maintain, depending on building heights and the city's terrain, according to city officials. At that cost, the price tag for covering Los Angeles' 498 square miles could reach more than million.Internet providers and equipment makers have estimated such costs at about for every home covered by the network. That would work out to almost million in Los Angeles. (...) "This is pretty amazing," said Esme Vos, who founded MuniWireless.com, an authority on municipal projects nationwide. "It's a large area, yet an urban project. That's kind of new." (...)

fonte: LA Times.com, «L.A. mayor wants citywide wireless access», By James S. Granelli and Tony Barboza, Times Staff Writers
February 14, 2007

«Earthlink will be the company building out the network at a cost of as much as million. The Atlanta-based company will foot the bill, not the city. For its part, the city will provide right-of-way access for Earthlink's network infrastructure. • Earthlink will allow access to the network to other Internet service providers at a wholesale cost of a month. Those ISPs will then charge their own rates to users, using markups or other means to make money. How this happens is key to the plan's success -- more on that in a moment. • The network will cover the city's 600 square miles. In theory, you'll be able to connect anywhere within the Houston city limits. • Discount rates will be set for low-income residents, possibly as low as a month. The city is investigating how to best get them the often-costly hardware necessary for accessing the wireless network.  • There will be free zones, in places such as parks and libraries. When the project is completed in about two years, Houston will have the largest citywide Wi-Fi network in the country. That is, unless until Los Angeles beats us to it.» fonte: «City Wi-Fi coming, but will it be worth what you'll pay?» Houston Chronicle, 15/02/07

• mobile broadband wireless services, offering high-speed, high-capacity mobile data connections using technologies such as WiMAX;
• mobile multimedia services, such as mobile television;
• advanced mobile services using technologies such as UMTS and its evolutions; and
• mobile broadcast, such as wireless cameras for outside broadcasts and temporary or portable video links.

fonte: «Ofcom helps inflate the WiMAX hype bubble», The register, Guy Kewney, Newswireless.net, Published Monday 11th December 2006 11:07 GMT

« Intel Corp. moved one step closer to developing its own mobile WiMAX solution on Wednesday when the company announced it had completed the design of its first WiMAX baseband chipset for use in laptops and other mobile devices. According to Intel's executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officers Sean Maloney, the new WiMAX Connection 2300 is a combination of the company's new chipset design and the previously announced single-chip, multi-band WiMAX/Wi-Fi radio. The chipset design was demoed on Wednesday during Maloney's keynote at the 3G World Congress and Mobility Marketplace in Hong Kong, where he showed a Centrino Duo mobile laptop with mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n), and high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) 3G capabilities successfully accessing the Internet at broadband speeds over a mobile WiMAX network. According to Dave Hofer, director of wireless marketing for the mobile platforms group at Intel, the announcement of Intel's WiMAX Connection 2300 will help further speed the deployment of mobile WiMAX, which is already moving along at a steady pace he said. "Our aim with WiMAX is to provide personal anytime/anywhere broadband connectivity," said Hofer. "This is a step along the way. We're at a point where, in 2007 and 2008, you're going to start seeing product samples."»

fonte: «Intel Develops Mobile WiMAX Chipset», PC Mag, 12/7/06 

Etiquetas: Intel, telemóveis

«Sprint Nextel will build the first nationwide mobile WiMax network, giving 100 million Americans wireless Internet access four times faster than current high-speed networks by the end of 2008, Sprint CEO Gary Forsee said at a press conference today. The "4G" (fourth-generation) network will launch by the end of 2007, Forsee said. Prices will be considerably less than current data charges, said Sprint CTO Barry West. (...) "Sprint is actively engaged with [consumer electronics] product leaders," according to Forsee. Motorola, Samsung and Intel will all help build Sprint's WiMax infrasutructure. Consumers should expect to see a whole range of different kinds of devices on the network, including "new, small types of PCs," said Intel executive vice president Sean Maloney, also present at the press conference. (...) Mobile WiMax, otherwise known as 802.11e, will boost real-world download speeds to 2-4 megabits/second, Forsee said. "Much of this 4G usage will be user-generated content," Forsee said. "Imagine accessing and building MySpace and YouTube literally on the fly."  (... But the advantage of Mobile WiMax isn't just that individual download speeds will rise. It's that Sprint's virtual "pipes" will be able to support more simultaneous users at less cost, West said, and that WiMax chips cost "around 1/10" the price of those of competing technologies.»

fonte: PC Mag, «Sprint Nextel Goes To The WiMax», 8/8/06 

Etiquetas: telemóveis, Sprint

«PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 15 (AP) — Microsoft and MetroFi say they will work together to build a free wireless Internet service for Portland, Oregon’s largest city. MetroFi announced late Tuesday that it would introduce the Wi-Fi service in Pioneer Courthouse Square, a popular gathering place in downtown Portland, by the end of the year and expand it to the rest of the city within two years. Microsoft will provide locally focused content and advertising through its new search advertising system, adCenter. The system, intended to compete with Google, allows advertisers to single out users based on browsing habits and factors like their sex, age and location. MetroFi operates Wi-Fi networks in several Silicon Valley cities and has agreements with 13 cities across the United States to develop municipal networks. MetroFi, based in Mountain View, Calif., will pay to create and maintain the system. The company said the service would be maintained through advertising revenue. Users can receive advertising-free service for a month»

fonte: «Microsoft Will Join in Free Wi-Fi Effort», via NYT, By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Published: November 16, 2006

«Samsung Electronics Co. on Tuesday showed off a three-way gadget that's a phone, personal computer and music player tailored for an emerging wireless broadband technology. The Mobile Intelligent Terminal was unveiled at a Samsung-sponsored industry conference on Mobile WiMax, which is just coming into use and promises fast broadband connections over long distances. The device weighs about a pound and contains a fold-out keyboard, 5-inch screen and 30 gigabyte hard drive. It runs the full version of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP operating system and also supports the CDMA mobile phone communications standard, which is used in South Korea and other countries including the United States. Kim Hun-bae, Samsung vice president for mobile research and development, told reporters that the gadget is the world's first WiMax device that also works as a mobile phone. It also can access the Internet, make video phone calls and display television as well as other video. The Suwon, South Korea-based company said it plans to launch the device in South Korea during the first half of 2007. Samsung didn't mention any plans for marketing the device in the U.S. and other markets. It also didn't provide a price. WiMax has been strongly backed by Samsung, which is cooperating with U.S. companies Intel Corp., Sprint Nextel Corp. and Motorola Inc. to commercialize it in the United States. South Korea is the first country to commercialize WiMax, which promises fast wireless broadband connections and mobile roaming. Limited trials of Mobile WiMax are under way in South Korea, with plans to cover the capital, Seoul, by early next year. Sprint Nextel has said it aims to launch WiMax networks in some U.S. markets by late 2007, working with Samsung, Motorola and Intel. Samsung is confident WiMax technology will soon become a global standard, a top executive said Tuesday. "We have established a standard in (South) Korea, but it won't take long to spread throughout the world," Lee Ki-tae, president of Samsung's telecommunication network business, told reporters.»

fonte: Washington Post, «Samsung Unveils 3-Way WiMax Gadget», By KELLY OLSEN, The Associated Press
Tuesday, November 7, 2006; 4:55 PM

«WiFi, which is about as close to a wireless form of wired network as you can get. In its various flavors, WiFi is truly just a last-millimeter extension of an Ethernet network, allowing the same functionality as its wired brethren, but without the wire, over a short distance.
Thus one model of broadband wireless Internet service would simply expand upon WiFi to enable higher bandwidths, longer connection distances and seamless handoff between access points for mobile users.
The other model evolves from cellular data service, which is very different. WiFi is a technology, while wireless telco data is a business. WiFi is inherently unlicensed and intended for private uses, while mobile data is licensed and operated as a for-profit commercial industry. Yes, some companies have set up commercial WiFi hotspots, but generally, these are again equivalent to a pay-as-you-go ISP. Meanwhile some cities have set up free or subsidized municipal WiFi networks. (...)

The most likely form of mobile broadband wireless Internet connectivity to follow the WiFi model is called WiMAX, while the wireless telco offerings are lumped under the generic heading of “3G.” But even WiMAX may take multiple forms, in that it may be offered in both licensed and unlicensed forms. In the licensed case, who will be the licensees? (Probably telcos.)
The network neutrality issue therefore is critical to radio stations that look to the wireless Internet — either via WiMAX or 3G — as a future service platform. First, one bit of good news is that an audio service doesn’t suffer from the variations in screens and input devices noted above — audio is audio (and generally in stereo) throughout the environment, more or less. But Internet radio services may want to offer some visual metadata to accompany their audio signals, so verifying how this data displays on a wide range of platforms and devices will be required.
Also consider that if the telco-controlled model prevails, extensions to include higher audio quality or surround sound might be difficult to achieve. New codecs or other downloadable plug-ins may be unavailable, and content rights-management may make user experiences painful, if not transparently applied.
More important, if legislation or regulation does not explicitly prohibit it, certain signals might be blocked, or their bandwidth constrained, in any given region. This could allow a radio station’s streaming audio signal to be rendered unreceivable in a certain area, based solely on a unilateral decision of the wireless service provider. Of course, this decision might be made because another customer of the wireless telco requested (or paid for) it.
Consider the two-edged sword that might be wielded by radio stations in such a case: A station could arrange for its local wireless telco(s) to block certain out-of-market competitors from delivering their similarly formatted station’s signals into the home market — but, of course, stations in other markets could do the same thing. It seems a slippery — and expensive — slope to traverse, and one that may be made moot in the interim by new telecom legislation anyway. Wouldn’t it be better to just allow competition on a level — albeit much larger — field?
This is one reason for broadcasters to be interested in the ongoing net-neutrality debate in Congress. It’s also a time for close observation of how the U.S. wireless broadband Internet environment will be shaped by the FCC and other market forces. Where these current variables settle will have great influence on the impact of wireless Internet service on the radio industry — for better or for worse.

fonte: «What a Wireless World It Will Be», Rwoline, by Skip Pizzi, 10.25.2006

Etiquetas: WiFi, WiMax

«Alcatel lançou solução para aceder aos serviços de IPTV [televisão por Internet]  num PC portátil no automóvel a 100 km/hora através do WImax, tecnologia emergente de banda larga sem fios» (notícia do Expresso/Economia,14/10/06, a propósito das novidades no World Broadband Fórum que decorreu em Paris)

«A Canadian radio station has added a Web site aimed at cellphone and PDA users, timed to take advantage of a Wi-Fi rollout happening in its market. “Recognizing that a handheld world calls for a handheld point of view, the Edge reconfigured its consumer Web site to fit the dimensions of a handheld screen, optimizing users' view and capabilities,” CFNY(FM) station said in its announcement, adding that Toronto is “on its way to becoming the largest wireless hotspot in North America.” The station is owned by Corus Entertainment. The site is www.edge.ca/wifi. The site offers club and concert listings and text. It’s available through wireless hotspots on any handheld device that supports a Wi-Fi connection. A new Wi-Fi network in downtown Toronto is being implemented in five stages with completion by year’s end. For six months people with wireless-capable devices will have free access to the Web inside within that area. PD Alan Cross said radio “is the original wireless technology,” and that there is a “natural fit between what we do and the new technical realities the Internet presents.”»

fonte: «Station Jumps on Wi-Fi With Targeted Web Offering», RwOnline, 18/9/06

e é a primeira empresa de telemóveis a anunciar uma coisa destas...

«Sprint Nextel Corp. announced that it plans to develop and deploy its fourth generation nationwide broadband mobile network using WiMax. Backed by Intel, Sprint plans to launch its 4G network in test markets in late 2007, and then expand to the top 100 U.S. Markets in 2008. "None of us today can envision our lives without wireless connectivity or the Internet," said Gary Forsee, president and CEO of Sprint Nextel, in a statement. “...We will have a unique broadband capability for meeting the growing access and mobile Internet needs of businesses, governments and consumers when and where they want.” Sprint will pour billion in 2007 and between .5 billion and billion in 2008 into the new mobile broadband network. The company will be working together with Intel, Motorola, and Samsung to implement the 4G network. There has been no word on how much this will cost the consumer, but a WiMax infrastructure will be considerably less expensive to build than traditional networks.»

«Internet radio will greatly benefit from pervasive Wi-Max or wide-area wireless access, which will bring Internet radio to portable devices, including car radios, by 2008»

fonte: «Bridge: HD Radio Will Impact Satellite Growth; Wi-Max in Cars by '08», RWonline, 24/8/06

É a opinião (excertos) de Corey Deitz (a merecer boa atenção):

«One of the scenarios I see coming together is the devaluation of AM and FM radio stations as technologies like WiMax take hold (...) WiMax will help to migrate Internet Radio from desktops to autos and other portable devices. WiMax radio signals (carrying broadband content at 70 megabits per second) should initially have a range of 30 miles. So, theoretically, an Internet radio station made available through a WiMax transmitting station centered in the middle of any American city will have the power to easily cover a 60-mile circumference, easily providing enough reach to rival most AM and FM stations being measured by Arbitron. (...) So, when the time comes when any enterprising programmer can create an Internet radio station which has the reach potential of terrestrial AM and FM properties, what does that do to their value? Well, I’m no financial genius but it seems to me it lowers their value – substantially. Before Internet radio, satellite, cell phones, and podcasts, AM and FM stations were considered non-renewable resources. In other words: the radio spectrum could hold only so many and no more could be created. (...) But, Internet radio stations can operate on low overhead which means they can also take more chances in specialized programming. They do not need as big an audience as a terrestrial station to be successful. An Internet radio station also doesn’t need 12 minutes of commercials each hour to be profitable, like many AM and FM operations. (...)And, although much weight has been put on HD Radio as part of the future saving grace of AM and FM, at least one question arises: will HD Radio infrastructure outpace WiMax infrastructure – and even if it does, will it matter?»

«CHICAGO -- News Corp.'s zealous embrace of interactivity soon will reach way beyond the runaway success of the social networking Web site MySpace when its majority-owned DirecTV decides on a path and partners for creating a national WiMax network.

Approval is imminent for the project that could take at least two years and billion, providing News Corp. and DirecTV a valuable wireless interactive broadband loop with consumers to directly sell content, advertising, goods and services. WiMax is a wireless a broadband technology often referred to as "WiFi on steroids" with a much wider 30-mile range than the more limited access offered by WiFi services. WiMax, which is short for World Interoperability for Microwave Access, also promises to provide more security and speed than traditional wireless connections.»

fonte: «News Corp., DirecTV take broadband to the Max», Hollywood ReporterJuly 18, 2006

«America's smallest state is seeking to become its first to offer a wireless broadband network from border to border. Backers of Rhode Island's million project say it would improve services and make the state a testing ground for new business technologies. It also comes at a time when Rhode Island's capital of Providence is stepping up efforts to lure business from Boston, about a 50-minute drive away, in neighboring Massachusetts, where office rents are among the nation's most expensive. The Rhode Island Wireless Innovation Networks (RI-WINs) should be fully in place by 2007, providing wireless connectivity throughout the state, whose land mass of about 1,045 square miles is only slightly more than double the size of metropolitan Los Angeles. (...) The Rhode Island network is a hybrid of WiMax and Wi-Fi technologies that would deliver real-time connections at a minimum speed of 1 megabit per second (Mbps), allowing users to download a typical Hollywood-length film in about 100 minutes. The system will be supported by 120 base antennas placed throughout the state. © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.»

fonte: «Rhode Island embarks on statewide wireless network» ZDNet News, April 28, 2006

Mark Ramsey questiona: «And that will precipitate the arrival of the Internet in cars, which is already on the drawing board in Detroit. And that will create a broad range of new opportunities for radio, all of them online. And it will create a serious new threat to radio, entirely online. Are you ready? Or are you still pitching HD?»

« "Intel Corp. is investing 0 million in Clearwire Corp., a company led by cellular pioneer Craig McCaw, as part  of a 0 million investment that could help spur adoption of a wireless  technology called WiMAX...

"WiMAX is a longer-range cousin of Wi-Fi, the wireless technology that now comes with many laptop computers. It is expected to deliver service at ranges of one to 10 miles — compared with around 150 feet for Wi-Fi —and is being developed for both stationary and mobile Internet access.

"Unlike Wi-Fi, WiMAX is expected to be used with licensed radio frequencies. Clearwireis believed to be the second-largest U.S. holder of frequencies that are suitable for WiMAX, behind  Sprint Nextel Corp.

"Intel, which already held a small stake in Clearwire, said it hopes the 0 million investment by its venture-capital arm, the largest in that unit's history, could  allow Clearwire to deploy WiMAX-based networks faster...

"The more recent investments in Wi-Fi and WiMAX, by contrast, are designed to stimulate demand for laptops and other portables.... Eventually...[Intel] expects one set of communication chips to handle both Wi-Fi and WiMAX, to enable users to remain connected to the Internet as they move around."

fonte: Wall street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115214498454699023-email.html, via RAIN

The latest developments come amid a flurry of activity from content providers and device manufacturers. Intel is already developing chipsets that will allow users to hook seamlessly into both WiFi and WiMax, and that will allow content applications to benefit from a new crop of "always connected" users. Already, some early-movers are emerging. Manhattan-based MusicGremlin has unveiled a WiFi-enabled MP3 player, and Microsoft is rumored to be developing a similar media player coupled with an iTunes-like service. What's more, the build-out of new wireless internet "pipes" may support Professor Christopher Yoo's "network diversity" theory, which holds that potential entrants in the ISP field are encouraged to invest in new broadband infrastructure so long as they can "differentiate" their services through content partnerships and services that appeal to consumers. Already, wireless carriers such as Sprint and Verizon have invested in networks to deploy their own mobile players and music stores—creating distinguishable and unique service offerings.»

fonte: Digital music News, «Big Players Continue to Push WiMax Infrastructure», 7/7/06

"Sacramento... wanted to pursue an even more aggressive model: a completely free wireless service  supported solely by Internet advertising... Sacramento city officials say they make no apologies in asking for a free wireless network supported only by advertising...»

fonte: Wall Street Journal on line (com subscrição), via RAIN

«A Anacom autorizou a PT a prolongar os testes técnicos que tem vindo a realizar à tecnologia WiMAX até ao proximo mês de Outubro. Não obstante, a PT não é a única a testar esta tecnologia, uma vez que desde 2003 que a Intel e a Alcatel, em parceria, também o têm vindo a fazer, com o objectivo de acelerar a chegada desta tecnologia ao mercado nacional, tendo a Bradnet, também este ano, entrado na corrida para a realização de testes.

Num comunicado, a Anacom referiu que a realização destes testes não implica qualquer compromisso, obrigação ou condicionante à utilização futura de sistemas do tipo WiMAX em Portugal, nem implica qualquer vínculo do regulador à atribuição de direitos de utilização num eventual processo futuro de autorização desta tecnologia. Por outras palavras, os testes que têm vindo a ser realizados não influenciam qualquer decisão da Anacom relativamente à futura atribuição de licenças para operar a tecnologia. (...) Em relação a esta tecnologia, de referir que é um upgrade do Wi-Fi, que tem uma maior largura vde banda e cobertura, podendo oferecer até 124 Mbps e cobrir um raio de 50 a 70 KM - mais que os 54 Mbps num raio máximo de 120 metros oferecidos pelo Wi-Fi. Por outro lado, esta está a ser desenvolvida como alternativa ao DSL na última milha de ligação da infra-estrutura de comunicações, e numa componente móvel como alternativa para fornecer serviços de Internet em zonas onde as infra-estruturas físicas não estão disponíveis»

fonte: Connect, 05/2006 («PT irá fazer ensaios técnicos ao WIMAX até Outubro»)  

«A Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (CML) acaba de abrir um concurso que visa disponibilizar o acesso à Internet sem fios a todos os habitantes desta cidade que pode assim tornar-se na primeira capital da Europa a disponibilizar esse serviço, revela a edição de hoje do jornal Diário Económico. Uma das empresas que já apresentou uma proposta ao município foi a ARTelecom, de João Pereira Coutinho. No entanto, a Câmara está ainda a analisar todas as propostas que entretanto chegarem pelo que ainda não existem prazos definidos para a instalação ou operacionalidade do serviço. Apesar do projecto ‘wireless’ de Carmona Rodrigues pretender ligar toda a cidade podem surgir algumas dificuldades técnicas relacionadas com as zonas mais elevadas das colinas pelo que a prioridade será cobrir primeiro as zonas históricas e outras que necessitem de reabilitação e de atrair novos habitantes, revelou fonte oficial da CML.

Mas ao contrário do que acontece com a cobertura wi-fi de outras cidades cuja autarquia suporta os custos do serviço, o acesso wi-fi promovido pela Câmara Municipal de Lisboa não deverá ser gratuito embora ainda não haja preço definido.»

fonte: «CML vai criar rede wireless para Lisboa» Exame Informática, 16/3/06, in http://exameinformatica.clix.pt/noticias/internet/213009.html

Broadband choice has become more of a reality for some Canadians, as Inukshuk Wireless, a joint venture between Bell Canada and Rogers Communications has opened for business. According to Bell Canada, the first phase of the network covers over 5 million households and is available in selected areas from coast to coast.

Inukshuk is using pre-final-certification WiMAX technology to operate the network, making it the first large-scale WiMAX deployment in North America. Bell and Rogers used their preexisting infrastructure such as cellular towers to install the network, which operates in spectrum licensed to the companies already. Those spectrum licensing requirements stipulate that the service be made available in at least 25 unserved rural markets in the next year and 50 by March 2008. (...) WiMAX has been touted for many years now as both an alternative to cable and DSL, and as a solution to extend the reach of broadband to areas where it is not currently available. Earlier this year, the WiMAX Forum certified the first official WiMAX hardware, which operates in the 3.5GHz range. Unfortunately for US residents looking for options when it comes to broadband, that spectrum is already in use. That means for the time being, any WiMAX implementations in the US will either have to use proprietary hardware and run the risk of not being to interoperate with other networks, or wait until gear that operates in open spectrum (e.g., 5.8GHz) is certified (hopefully within the next twelve months). Until that time, we'll have to be content with seeing how our neighbors to the north do with their first WiMAX deployments»

«The report points out that a typical base-station, can handle an area between 3-to-10 kilometers in a non-line of sight environment. Or about 40 Mbit/s per channel, which basically boils down to this: one cell could theoretically allow hundreds of business connections at 1.5 Mbit/s and thousands of residential connections at 256 kbit/s. It is easier to see why I have always believed that this is a long haul technology, which can then work in tandem with WiFi meshes, for local connectivity»

«A set of emerging wireless technologies is posed to greatly increase the range of high-speed wireless broadband. The technologies behind WiMAX should allow for wireless data speeds of up to 40 Mbit/s over a distance of 10 kilometres using relatively inexpensive equipment. These same technologies could also offer faster data transfers to mobile devices than is possible over current third-generation mobile networks under certain conditions. WiMAX-certified equipment should become available in late 2005 and should significantly increase the speed and reach of wireless data networks.»

...o rádio do carro será um computador, as estações présintonizadas os favoritos e deixa de haver limites hertzianos à escuta: posso ouvir a Rádio Macau em Vila do Conde! 

Vem isto a propósito da decisão da cidade de São Francisco de se tornar cem por cento wi-fi!

Tenho para mim que a Internet poderá ter para a rádio do século XXI o mesmo efeito que teve o transístor para a do século passado (ou ainda maior, mas nesta altura isso é ficção).

A Internet vai alterar a diversos níveis a rádio como a conhecemos, mas há, nesta altura, alguns constrangimentos técnicos que impedem um desenvolvimento maior: o principal é que a Internet ainda não é portátil. As redes de wi-fi mostram por um lado a necessidade de introduzir mobilidade à Internet, libertando-a dos fios e, por outro, como é dramática qualquer tentativa de fazer deslocar um computador ligado mais do que 20 ou 30 metros (os hotspots de wi-fi funcionam relativamente em edifícios, mas na rua…).

Ora a rádio é mobilidade, é portabilidade, é o carro. Quando a rádio on line for uma alternativa válida de escuta, em grandes ou pequenas viagens, a rádio viverá momentos de grande felicidade.

Por isso é que há quem saúde a tecnologia WiMAX como sendo o princípio do futuro: as suas estações emissoras suportarão 50 quilómetros e isso já é um princípio para se criarem redes ao nível de cidades. Essa realidade está distante? Provavelmente. Mas, também aqui, o futuro já começou!

Outros textos deste blogue sobre o WiMAX:

- "introduz um novo desafio para a rádio, que passa pela produção de conteúdos cada vez mais dirigidos e apelativos para a sua audiência, dada a variedade de opções e a facilidade de saltar entre conteúdos"

- "Com o aparecimento de novas tecnologias sem fios e outras que certamente se seguirão, a indústria da rádio, apesar de aparentar maturidade, pode estar na verdade na sua infância"

- "Nokia and Intel Corporation today announced a cooperation to accelerate the development, adoption and deployment of WiMAX technology"