Spain joins WiMax network
Spain is the latest country to embrace the emerging high-end broadband wireless technology, following recent deployments in France, Ireland and the UK.
Spanish wireless operator Iberbanda has begun to install WiMax systems supplied by Alvarion, according to Bridget Fishleigh, a spokeswoman for the Tel Aviv manufacturer.
"Iberbanda has been using proprietary wireless local loop technology from Alvarion since 2001 but has now decided to expand its growing network in Spain with WiMax," Fishleigh said.
WiMax technology, based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers's 802.16 standard, can provide broadband wireless over longer distances and at higher speeds than current Wi-Fi systems.
Its access range is up to about 48km, compared with Wi-Fi's 90m. It supports data transmission speeds up to 70mbps, compared with the popular Wi-Fi 802.11b standard's 11mbps or Wi-Fi 802.11a's 54mbps.
The WiMax Forum, established in 2001 by a number of industry heavyweights, has been working on standards certification and interoperability testing. The first generation WiMax systems, based on the 802.16-2004 standard, are expected to be certified by the middle of next year.
