TOKYO (WiMAX Day). One of the key factors that distinguish the WiMAX industry from others are the innovative partnerships that have evolved amongst companies that otherwise would be strange bedfellows. This has fostered rapid growth in research and development, and put equipment standardisation and network deployment on the fast-track.

The dire need for a USB modem launched one of the industry’s most exotic partnerships between Japanese WiMAX operator Yozan, Inc and equipment vendor Airspan Networks.

“Many of our customers are ‘road warriers’ that require instant roaming access,” said Leonard Mochizuki, VP, Strategic Relations at Yozan. “In focus groups we found that many of our customers were more likely to sign up for our service if they could access other networks.” With WiMAX-enabled laptops still some 12-16 months away, Yozan needed a solution, fast.

During a trans-Atlantic flight in late-2005, an impromtu meeting between Mochizuki and Paul Senior, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at Airspan Networks, produced the technical specifications of a Quad-Band, Wave 2, USB device that would allow Yozan subscribers to roam between different WiMAX networks.

Following 18 months of development, the device, which is due for commercial release before the end of this year, will work in all of the popular WiMAX bands, including 2.3 GHz, 2.5 GHz, 3.3-3.7 GHz and 4.9-5.4 GHz.

A boost for global roaming
According to the joint developers, this is the world’s first such device and an essential step toward the reality of global roaming for WiMAX devices.

“When connected to any laptop computer, the 16eUSB will enable connectivity to the 100+ Mobile WiMAX networks being deployed around the world,” Mochizuki added.

The 16eUSB is designed as a compact device compatible with both PCs and Macs, and able to operate at speeds up to 30Mbit/s from any 16e Mobile WiMAX network. The device supports both wave 1 “SISO” and wave 2 “MIMO” modes of Mobile WiMAX. On MIMO-enabled WiMAX networks, the device delivers up to twice the range and capacity of the wave 1 devices that have been used in the majority of Mobile WiMAX trials and in the WiBro service offer by KT in Korea.

“Mobile WiMAX will soon become the broadband wireless technology of choice,” said Paul Senior. “This device will enable users to obtain true broadband services as they roam between the world’s great cites and urban centres”.

Unlike other wireless services such as the 3G networks that exist today, Mobile WiMAX is an IP-centric technology that will enable users “to take their multi-megabit wired broadband experience with them, and get the same services, speeds and quality of service,” Senior added.