23 Oct, 2007
Nokia and Motorola as well as Taiwan-based Qisda (formerly BenQ) all plan to launch WiMAX CPE (customer premise equipment) products in 2008, according to sources in Taiwan's WiMAX industry
Motorola is expected to take the lead to introduce a CDMA/WiMAX dual-mode handset in the first half of 2008, while Nokia, is expected to launch during the same period an Internet tablet device supporting WiMAX technology, the sources indicated.
Motorola's product research center in Taiwan will extend its coverage to include WiMAX technology and the center will offer IOT (interoperability testing) services to its production partners as well as other WiMAX CPE makers in Taiwan, said Simon Liang, president of Asia Pacific at Motorola.
Qisda is expected to launch its EDGE/WiMAX dual-mode phone before the end of 2008 that will be a modified version of the BenQ E72 smartphone, according to sources at the company.
The company is currently developing a WiMAX module utilizing baseband chips from Runcom and RF chips from NXP Semiconductors, the sources noted.
With the exception of WiMAX-enabled handsets, Qisda has no plans to develop other WiWAX CPE products, the sources stated.
