Internet Service Provider

Date: Apr 19, 2005
Contributor: Clinton Sherfey

WiMax phone service coming

NEXTWEB PLANS ROLLOUT IN MAY

NextWeb, a Fremont Internet service provider, plans to announce today an Internet phone service that uses a wireless technology known as WiMax.

The phone service will launch in cities across California next month.

Certification of WiMax, a wireless technology backed primarily by Intel, is expected as early as summer.

However, companies already are launching products using the technology.

NextWeb already uses the technology to deliver high-speed Internet service to business customers and will not offer Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, services.


WiMax gear


The announcement follows an announcement Monday by Intel that its first WiMax chipset for modems and other equipment is now available.

``As members of the WiMax forum and supporters of the technology, we've been following the topic closely,'' said Dave Williams, NextWeb's vice president for products, markets and systems.

WiMax allows high-speed Internet connections to be delivered wirelessly to an office building or business park.

Known as fixed wireless, it uses external antennas to send the Internet connection to a specific building but not the surrounding area.

WiMax proponents say the next generation of the technology will allow Web surfers riding on a bus or in a car to access high-speed Internet connections. Mobile WiMax is at least a year or more away.


Telecom option

NextWeb's fixed-wireless system is being marketed as an alternative to services offered by traditional telecommunications companies.

NextWeb, which has more than 2,000 customers using its wireless Internet service, will deliver advanced voice services through a partnership with CommPartners, a Las Vegas-based VoIP provider.

The service will allow the use of private extensions and other office phone features.




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