WiMax equipment and component makers announced steady progress on fixed wireless broadband products but looked eagerly to a future mobile WiMax, as industry participants gathered at the Wireless Communications Alliance"s WCA International Symposium and Business Expo in San Jose, California.
With a standard for fixed WiMax complete and a product certification program in the works, vendors are preparing to ship interoperable base stations and customer premises equipment later this year. They see the technology as an alternative to stationary broadband services such as DSL and cable. The WiMax Forum industry group is expected to start certifying interoperability of products around the middle of this year. However, some vendors are now focusing greater attention on a mobile form of WiMax that is still being standardized and is expected to hit the market next year.