NextPhase Wireless Announces 2008 WiMAX Rollout Plan

(Business News & Technology News, 5 Dec 2007)

NextPhase Wireless Inc. will commence testing and deployment of certified WiMAX products in 1Q08. "Deploying WiMAX services in the US has been a challenge to date, primarily because of limited spectrum availability, and non-existence of certified equipment designed for the bands that are available domestically. While the current WiMAX standards theoretically cover spectrum from 2GHz to 66GHz, most manufacturers have focused their efforts on producing product for the international standard of 3.5GHz, which is reserved for military use in the US," said Robert Ford, President and CEO.

According to Ford, in June 2007, the FCC acknowledged this issue by opening up the 3.65GHz to 3.7GHz band for Wireless Broadband Services in an attempt to "encourage multiple entrants and stimulate the expansion of broadband service to rural and under served areas," with applications for nationwide licenses being accepted from November 15, 2007. Since then, he said, manufacturers of existing 3.5GHz WiMAX products have been working to have their products certified by the FCC, with Redline Communications being the first to announce a 3.65GHz product to be approved for operation in the United States.

"Now that certified WiMAX products are available, we are ready to take the next step in building a device-agnostic, WiMAX wireless broadband connectivity/content delivery platform serving all 48 contiguous U.S. states. Leveraging our existing WiMAX-ready infrastructure, we have applied to the FCC for a nationwide license, and will begin testing certified WiMAX equipment in 1Q08. Once testing is complete, we will be deploying WiMAX equipment in Southern California, and other key markets nationwide. As certified Mobile WiMAX products become available, we plan to test and deploy those, also," added Ford.

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