Nortel Networks still remains committed to the development of the WiMAX market and looks highly to WiMAX's potential, Scott Wickware, general manager of WiMAX unit, Nortel, said recently during a visit to Taipei.
Citing data from market research firms, Wickware noted that the global procurement of WiMAX network equipment is expected to top US$1 billion in 2008 and will continue to expand to US$2 billion in 2009 and to over US$3 billion in 2010 and beyond.
On concerns of Nortel's existing cooperation with a number of Taiwan WiMAX CPE (customer premise equipment) makers following the recent cooperation deal between Nortel and Alvarion, Wickware insisted that Nortel will continue to cooperate with Taiwan makers, and Nortel will also invite local partners to conduct interoperability testing on their WiMAX products with Alvarion.
Nortel's production partners in Taiwan include Quanta Microsystems, Zyxel Communications, Accton Technology and D-Link, while Alvarion is cooperating with Tecom and Accton Wireless Broadband (AWB), according to market sources.
According to the sources, Nortel and Alvarion have jointly secured a WiMAX network contract with details likely to be unveiled soon and Taiwan-based WiMAX CPE makers are likely to benefit from the contract.
Scott Wickware, general manager of WiMAX unit, NortelPhoto; Irene Chen, Digitimes, August 2008
Article translated by Steve Shen
