Intel to launch Wi-Fi, WiMax-enabled PCs

Intel is planning to launch Wi-Fi and WiMax dual mode enabled personal
desktops. The dual mode module with Wi-Fi and WiMax is Intel's wireless network
solution known as 'Echo Peak'. "Echo Peak is capable of supporting up to three
bands for flexible radio frequency support-2.3 to 2.7GHz, 3.3 to 3.8GHz and 5.5
to 5.8GHz," said Chandramouli Rao, Senior Solutions Specialist-WiMax Business
Development Division, Intel India. He said that the development team at
Bangalore is working on embedding the chip into desktops. "We are working on it,
and will announce something soon," Rao informed.

Commenting on the market for this product in India, he said, "The Indian
government is yet to decide on the WiMax frequency band and the overall policy
for rolling it out. Globally, 2.5GHz is the standard for WiMax. However, once
the policy is announced, notebooks, tablet PCs and handheld devices will drive
the market." The company is launching 'Echo Peak' enabled notebooks in the US
early next year in association with Sprint. Sprint and Clearwire have already
announced plans to build mobile WiMax infrastructure to cover 100 million people
in the US by the end of 2008. Sprint Nextel offers wireless and wireline
communications services and Clearwire is a provider of wireless broadband
Internet and phone service.

Bhaskar Hazarika, R Jai Krishna