Sprint And Intel To Explore WiMAX Broadband Technologies

May 5, 2005

Sprint and Intel Corporation today announced an agreement to engage in joint efforts to advance the development of IEEE standards-based 802.16e WiMAX mobile technology, which can provide high capacity wireless broadband coverage and services throughout metro areas and an enriched multimedia user experience.

The companies will collaborate on technical specifications, perform equipment trials and conduct interoperability testing to examine possible next generation wide-area wireless broadband devices and services. Ubiquitous wireless broadband access will help meet blossoming demand among businesses and consumers for rapid wireless Internet connectivity and integrated multimedia services.

"Our relationship with Intel will help validate requirements, drive key ecosystem development needs, formulate network strategies and define the potential for advanced wireless services adoption," explained Oliver Valente, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President, Technology Development at Sprint. Sprint is fostering a number of strategic partnerships and investigating multiple technologies in support of future wireless interactive multimedia services that would be considered for deployment in the 2.5 GHz band of spectrum. WiMAX is one of the technologies Sprint is investigating for these services.

"WiMAX technology has the promise to deliver new broadband services to consumers globally," said Sean Maloney, executive vice president and general manager of the Intel Mobility Group. "We are excited to work closely with Sprint to bring these new services and new networks to the market."

WiMAX, short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections. WiMAX will provide fixed, nomadic, portable and eventually mobile wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-of-sight with a base station.

In January, Sprint joined the WiMAX Forum and was recently elected to the Board of Directors to lend its support and network expertise to that organization's mission of global interoperability standards formation for broadband wireless access products.