WiMAX Forum Upbeat About Growth in Latin America

The internet via WiMAX (News - Alert) may soon be a reality according to the WiMAX Forum. The forum projects that more than 13 million consumers in Latin America will be WiMAX users by 2012, and that over 70 percent of them will utilize mobile or portable WiMAX devices to access the Internet.

With a population of 550 million, broadband penetration is below 15 percent. Lack of wired infrastructure, low broadband penetration and the numerous WiMAX license opportunities has all played a role in creating an attractive future for the WiMAX market in Latin America.

WiMAX offers a better solution to quickly reach a large number of end users saving the investment in cost and time needed for wired infrastructure.

“Latin American countries have started making the commitment and taking steps to ensure wireless broadband services are a reality that enables operators to meet the region’s diverse market and economic needs and growing population,” said Ron Resnick (News - Alert), president and Chairman of the WiMAX Forum.

Resnick’s forum is foreseeing accelerated growth of the WiMAX ecosystem, WiMAX technology and the demand for mobile Internet services across the world.

Currently, there are 95 WiMAX deployments in the Caribbean and Latin American region, with ten deployments in Brazil and seven in Peru. The growth of WiMAX is dependent on upcoming auctions in the key markets such as Argentina and Colombia.

In Argentina, according to the Forum, over 100 companies have expressed interest in taking part in auction, where 3.3-3.7 GHz spectrum for WiMAX is likely to be auctioned off.

With the high growth rate of WiMAX users, Latin America is expected to reach over one million subscribers in the next few years. Operators are materializing the broadband service opportunities through WiMAX today, and are looking to introduce many new applications to drive the uptake in the market.

The WiMAX Forum (News - Alert) represents more than 530 member companies with stakes in WiMAX standard. Currently, more than 35 WiMAX Forum member companies are producing WiMAX base stations, 30 companies are providing PC Cards, USB modems, MIDs, and other personal devices, 25 companies provide chipsets and reference designs, and seven of the top eight global device manufacturers are developing WiMAX products.

There are currently more than 400 deployments of WiMAX networks in more than 133 counties. The WiMAX Forum also expects to have a comprehensive global roaming plan available to operators by the end of 2008.