The Hindu Business Line : WiMAXing laptops new buzzword among chipmakers

Bangalore June 4 WiMAXing laptops is the new buzzword among chipmakers. Lapping up the Wi-Fi draft standard, which is being integrated in laptops, Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are now setting sights on the longer range wireless data transfer standard WiMAX.

The latest Wi-Fi draft standard (802.11n) offers speeds of up to 248 Mbps, compared to the existing 11 Mbps. It is being included in both Santa Rosa and Puma platforms and laptops based on these will be capable of harnessing the fastest Wi-Fi connections next year.

WiMAX (Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access, or 802.16) is a longer range wireless data transfer method which reaches speeds of up to 70 Mbps. It is being considered in various cities for offering last mile access and backhaul to existing metro area networks.

In India, Bangalore, Pune and Chennai have the potential to be WiMAXed in the near future. Then, laptops that can latch onto the available citywide network could see an instant demand.

WiMAX could be part of AMD's roadmap for its next generation Puma platform. "WiMAX may be part of the kit," said Mr Vamsi Krishna, Technical Manager, AMD Far East (India), about the possibility of integrating WiMAX onto Puma, which will be launched in 2008.

Puma will take on Intel's Santa Rosa, which will integrate WiMAX onto laptops next year. "In 2008, deployment of WiMAX in Centrino platform will happen," Mr Venkat Ram, Engineering Manager, MG-I Mobile Platform, Architecture Development, Intel Technology India, said recently at a briefing on Santa Rosa in the city.