In line with plans to start including WiMAX capabilities in mobile phones in the second half of 2008, handset maker Motorola on Tuesday unveiled its first truly mobile WiMAX 802.16e compliant chipset. Motorola said it plans to start delivering WiMAX-enabled handsets to carriers around the world next year, as it prepares for Sprint and Clearwire's XOHM WiMAX service.
In order to prove that its mobile WiMAX technology is real and ready for commercial deployment, Motorola presented a mobile WiMAX experience last night that included an exclusive cruise along the Chicago River for media and industry analysts, who experienced uninterrupted internet access for web browsing, VoIP calls, and video streaming. In addition to the cruise, another test involved using WiMAX while driving at speeds beyond 50 mph and while riding Chicago's elevated train.
Motorola said its chipset offers 10Mbps downstream and 3Mbps to 4Mbps upstream, faster than current 3G and comparable to a cable modem.