Motorola, Sprint Ink Wireless Broadband Pact

(Business News & Technology News, 12 Jul 2005)

Telecom giants Sprint and Motorola reported Thursday that they would conduct wireless broadband technology testing and equipment trials, to clarify next-generation wireless network infrastructure requirements and consumer product demand for future wireless interactive multimedia services.
The collaboration, to occur this year and next, is expected to spur IEEE 802.16e (2.5GHz) technology development, validate vendor solutions and help formulate network architecture strategies, the companies said.
Technical assessment is to involve lab testing of base station equipment, smart antenna technology and multimedia handsets and field trials in certain locations beginning this year, continuing through 2006.
Oliver Valente, CTO and VP of technology development at Sprint said in a statement, “WiMAX is one of the technologies Sprint is investigating for services which would be considered for deployment in the 2.5 GHz band of spectrum.”
Motorola said it would use its heritage in wireless radio technology innovation, IP core switching and wireless devices to help Sprint validate next-generation wireless opportunities.
In January, Sprint had joined the WiMAX Forum to support the organization’s mission of global interoperability standards formation for broadband wireless access products.