MANAMA (WiMAX Day). In bahrain this week, Mena Telecom announced that it will begin to roll-out its WiMAX network before the end of 2007. The company plans to deploy a mobile WiMAX network based on 802.16e, equipped and delivered by Motorola. Mena claim it will be the first nationwide deployment of WiMAX in the Middle East.

The first stage of the network is is expected to be available in Manama in January 2008. Thereafter, the network will be extended to other areas of the Kingdom of Bahrain through march 2008.

Mr. Abdulhakeem Al Khayyat, the Chairman of Mena Telecom, and General Manager of Kuwait Finance House (Bahrain), said in a press release “Bahrain has a long and distinguished history of being an early adopter when it comes to the introduction of innovative and leading-edge telecommunications technology. We are excited about carrying on this tradition of telecommunications advancement through our WiMAX network and being one of the first countries in the world to provide such a service nationwide.”