Fujitsu has announced the development of the BroadOne(TM) WX series of mobile WiMAX(*1) base stations. The BroadOne WX300, an outdoor macrocell base station, is light, energy-efficient, and - as the smallest in its class(*2) - occupies less space, which makes it economical to deploy. The BroadOne WX300 will be available globally beginning in the second quarter of 2008 (April-June).
Telefónica can start investing in Fiber To The Home (FTTH), as the Spanish regulator, CMT, will not require to share this network with the rest of telecoms operators. This is what the CMT has decided, according to ADSLZone. Nevertheless, if the competition in the market gets hurt, the regulator could change its will.
Wireless broadband pioneer Clearwire Corporation today announced it is teaming up with Google to deliver the company’s popular Google Apps(TM) communication suite to Clearwire customers. Clearwire will begin migrating its current customers to Gmail(TM) and Google Calendar(TM) in the first half of this year. In addition, Clearwire customers will also have access to Google Talk(TM).
The city of Cangas de Narcea, in Asturias, is the first one with Fiber To The Home (FTTH) in Spain. The 554 users of the service, provided by Swedish company Adamo, can browse the Internet with a 100 Mbps. connection for 49 euros per month.
The Basque Government has finished its wimax project, extending its wimax network to half of its territory, mainly rural areas where ADSL or cable were not available. The system is now available in 147 cities and is provided by Euskaltel, a company partly owned by the Basque Government.
Adamo, a company based in Barcelona but with Swedish capital, is the first one to offer an FTTH (Fiber To The Home) Internet connection service in Spain. It will cost 29 euros per month (plus a setup fee of 35 euros), will bring up to 100 Mbps and will be available in some cities in the Northern region of Asturias.
Only three companies are currently providing wimax services in Spain: Iberbanda (bought by Telefónica in 2006), Euskaltel (regional Basque operator) and aeromax, a small company based in the Mediterranean Coast. Three more companies have a license and are willing to launch this service at the end of the year: Aló (Clearwire), Orange-France Télécom and Neo-Sky (Iberdrola).
Fon has decided to connect Madrid’s gay district, Chueca, after next Gay Pride Day. The wi-fi access points will be provided by Zero, a known magazine for gay people in Spain. If this iniciative is successful, it might be extended to other places in Spain.
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has been selected to provide its mobile TV solution to Telefónica España. The service will give end users easy access to Telefónica’s rich mobile TV content and services.
Motorola’s Wimax development managing director for the Americas, Tom Mitoraj, gave a conference in Argentina in which he expressed his optimism in the possibilities of this technology. “It is the technology of the future, as it will bring the Internet to everybody’s palm”. He also thinks that wimax is a clear alternative to 3G networks, because of easier deployment and lower costs.