At the annual State of the City Address in Portland, Oregon, Mayor Sam Adams said that the city will make $500,000 available for innovative small business ventures that may be matched by banks.

The city is creating a Portland Small Business Seed Fund in conjunction with the Sustainable Development Fund. The $500,000 seed fund will come from the Portland Development Commission and the city will be loaning the money as opposed to making equity investments. The fund’s success will be measured through the number of jobs created by the companies who receive the funds.

Mayor Adams said that the investment is a result of multiple talks with the people behind NedSpace who have been campaigning for more public support for startups.

A simple, sustainable Wi-Fi solution is one of such possible business ventures. Using solar powered kiosks in neighborhood parks, residents would have access to free Wi-Fi. In the next three years, the plan has the potential to fund itself, stimulate jobs in news media and software development, and deliver emergency broadband communications throughout the city.

Each kiosk would be a neighborhood node and a laser-based microprojector coupled to an iPad/iTouch would provide a small ruggedized display. The splash page would feature an interactive news map with localized Nozzl News, traffic, and weather. Service could also be customized using cell phones.

Community-based advertising would provide $100/month revenue for each Kiosk and over 36 months, the $3,600 cost could be re-paid.

Photo via Flickr courtesy of Ben Amstutz

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

Dell’s Mini 10 now appears to be the next in line for built-in WiMax.

It is an otherwise unmodified version of Round Rock’s 10-incher with an Intel Atom N450 processor paired with Intel GMA graphics, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard-drive.

Still unknown is whether or not Dell will be offering the new WiMax Mini 10 with a carrier. Because the high-speed wireless service is currently only available in a minimal number of markets, this seems to be a likely decision. There is no word yet on a release date but it is a fair guess to say that CLEAR will be the involved.

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

CEVA just accounced the CEVA-XCnet Partnership Program, a comprehensive group of third-party technology suppliers that form an infrastructure around the CEVA-XC communications processor for WiMax and LTE build out.

“CEVA has a long history of forging strong partnerships with industry-leading technology suppliers that enable our mutual customers to develop full featured SoC products that meet specific market needs,”  said Eran Briman Vice President of Marketing at CEVA, “With the CEVA-XCnet Program we have taken this model to a new level, focusing specifically on the unique requirements of advanced wireless communications needs – LTE, WiMAX, HSPA+, SDR – and bringing together a wide array of expertise and technology that can be used to meet these very demanding development challenges.”

The processor is a top quality, low power consumption processor, perfect for SDR solutions including LTE and WiMax for mobile terminals and infrastructure. It accounts for the changing development needs of many standards of soft-modem solutions.

The Partnership program brings together different companies with many critical and complementary technologies including wireless software and hardware IPs for 3G and 4G applications. It can also provide for DSP software design services, RTOS, SoC level prototyping and simulation tools. CEVA-XCnet members get a comprehensive understanding of CEVA-XC architecture, development environment and libraries along with complete access to CEVA’s internal research and design team.

ArrayComm, Aricent, Carbon Design Systems, ENEA, IGP Communications, Lauterbach, mimoOn, P-Product, TurboConcept are the first to sign up for the program.

Photo Courtesy of Aranya Sen via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

�

Samsung and Yota have signed another contract that will help build out a complete WiMax network across Russia. Samsung will supply over 5,000 base stations and Access Control Routers beginning in March 2010. Yota will expand its mobile WiMax network to 15 cities including Sochi, the host of the 2015 Winter Olympic Games.
Yota selected Samsung as its sole Mobile WiMax equipment vendor in 2008. Since then, Samsung has supplied Yota with over 4,500 Mobile WiMax macro and pico cellular base stations for commercial Mobile WiMax services in Russia.

Yota has 300,000 mobile WiMax users in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Ufa and has already provided service to over 50,000 subscribers in Kransnodor and Sochi.

Yota has already teamed with Samsung in the past – the two companies partnered to launch a network in Nicaragua and later broke even in their first five months of rolling out service in Russia.

Photo Courtesy of yeowatzup via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

The spectrum auction in Mexico has been delayed. A court has accepted an appeal by MVS Comunicaciones and Iusacel to suspend the auction, arguing that the bidding rules were unfair.

MVS argues that Secretario de Comunicaciones y Transportes should renew licenses in the 2.5 GHZ bandwidth before the process begins. The SCT is auctioning off space in the 1850MHZ-1990MHz and 1710MHz bands. The largest operator by subscriber base also expressed displeasure in the auction. Under the current rules, the government will have control over a total of 120MHz split into two blocks, with nine blocks of spectrum in the 1850-1990MHz band in eight of the country’s nine operating regions. Another seven blocks between the 1710MHz and 2179 MHz will be offered in all nine regions in a separate auction.

A cap of 80Mhz per operator will be imposed. Despite the ruling, Gonzalo Martinez, commissioner of telecoms regulator Cofetel, stated that the auction date stands and the deadline for submissions is May 25, 2010. A hearing will be held February 8 and then within 24 hours, the court will decide whether or not to suspend the auction definitively.

Telecoms need the spectrum space to launch wireless high speed internet WiMax. WiMax has the connectivity to provide internet services to remote areas of Mexico. MVS is partially owned by Clearwire, which is looking to build out a WiMax across the United States.

Photo Courtesy of Lucy Nieto via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

Time Warner Cable recently decided to increase its investment in WiMax. The company started offering WiMax services in Dallas, North Carolina and Hawaii in December of 2009.

Road Runner Mobile offers subscribers wireless broadband internet speeds of 6Mbps and provides the convenience and ease of mobility within the WiMax network. Prices range from $40 to $80 per month with at least one other TWC service. Time Warner leases space from Clearwire because it was Clearwire that set up the base stations and other hardware necessary to install a WiMax network.

TWC plans to add new mobile services in the future, including mobile DVR programming. The company is working with Clearwire and Sprint to develop a 4G wireless voice product for a WiMax network. WiMax enables TWC to diversify its phone and Internet services.

The company generated $1.92 billion of free cash flow, meaning that an increase in funding for WiMax should not hinder TWC.
Photo Courtesy of FLC via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

In light of widespread devastation in Haiti after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on January 12, communication restoration is the key to rescue operations.

Haitian Ambassador to the U.S., Raymond Joseph, has called out restoration of communications as the top need in the region, which is almost entirely dependent upon wireless technology. Immediately following the earthquake, a lack of internet connectivity made it nearly impossible for NGO’s and the Haitian government to coordinate the delivery of aid. Large international service providers, humanitarian organizations, technology companies, and local service providers have all been taking action in the past three weeks to begin addressing the situation.

The two known Haitian Public Safety Answering Pints (PSAPs) were both reportedly destroyed and the Haitian police Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system was ruined along with most all of the wireline infrastructure. Inadequate power supply has been a major problem as well, particularly because even before the earthquake, Haiti’s electricity grid only provided about eight hours of daily power.

Humanitarian organizations are trying to make a difference in the relief effort by setting up wireless connections and utlilizing technology solutions. Engineers from NetHope have been sent to Haiti to set up a VSAT satellite solution using WiMax technology to restore Internet connectivity to large NGO’s who are serving in Haiti. NetHope members operating in Haiti will have access to this network and with connectivity restored, agencies will have the tools they need to expedite the delivery of much needed resources to victims through a coordinated response with each other.

Hainet, Multilink and Access Haiti, the three leading local Internet service providers in Haiti, have used broadband fixed wireless access (BFWA) systems for connectivity, including certified WiMax networks and pre-WiMax equipment. Technicians have been working to restore damaged wireless infrastructure as they also buildout new base stations. Both Access Haiti and Hainet were reported ‘non-operational’ immediately following the earthquake but were restored within days.

A plan supported by the National Joint TERT Initiative -a collaboration between APCO International Telecommunicator and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) for Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT) – will cover an immediate phased approach to a solution as well as long-term support and training for the Haitian people.

APCO President Richard Mirgon have driven home this point regarding immediate need and actions – “The restoration of essential emergency communications systems is critical to saving lives and maintaining the health of the population, including those individuals from other countries who are providing aid. Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina demonstrate the need and method for interim and long term emergency communications restoration.”

Sprint is continuing their support of Haiti relief efforts with the donation of wireless infrastructure and long-distance services with the donation of mobile cell-site equipment including portable generators, cell towers, and mobile shelters to help Haitian communications carriers in providing wireless voice and data services. Sprint is also part of the Greater Washington Haitian Relief Committee (GWHRC), a coalition of local and international organizations to streamline efforts during disaster relief.

The Chair of GWHRC, Albert Decady, said recently that, “Communications between our organization, family members of the earthquake victims, and our relief partners in Haiti has been so very essential to the success of our efforts. Sprint’s donation of wireless phones, long-distance service, and other equipment will make our work more immediate, coordinated, and effected.”

Relief and rebuilding in Haiti in upcoming weeks, months, and years is going to be a constant struggle. This being said, the only way to begin the process is to take action and efforts on the part of outside organizations and companies along with the courage, hard work and faith of the Haitian people will ultimately make the difference.

Photo couresty of NSAID-images via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. will start WiMax service in Dhakor of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, India later this month. It will extend to other parts of NCR including Bisradh, Dadri, Jewar and Jahangirpuri in the next financial year.

BSNL and MTNL will set up 10 new base stations by the end of this financial year in Noida and Greater Noida.  Precaution would be used to ensure that downtime of towers in these areas is minimized. It’s expected that both companies will add 25,000 new subscribers. The total number of new subscribers is suppose to be over 40,000 by March 2011.

WiMax enables users to video conference, television on mobile devices, tele-medicine and e-learning for students. This announcement comes after another BSNL announcement that Assam will be getting WiMax service soon too.

Photo Courtesy of seaview99 via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

With it being early in the new year, a lot of companies are releasing their finance reports from the last quarter of 2009, along with 2009 annual reports. Alvarion had an up and down week – after getting an endorsement from a firm, it reported a loss from last year. A report stated that Clearwire is going to change its business model, and Pakistani WiMax providers decided to offer shares to gain an influx of cash.

In an Infonetics Research study, Alvarion was listed as the top equipment provider for WiMax. There was also a report on the benefits and cost saving for power companies that launch 4G smart grids.

A report about the surprisingly fast evolution of WiMax 2.0 was released and another development involves the unused space in the spectrum that has the potential to become another 4G technology along with WiMax and LTE.

Internationally, the Dominican Republic is getting another WiMax option while the U.K. suffered a set back in WiMax/LTE with the delay of spectrum auction. A wireless broadband telecom provider will bring some form of 4G to Zimbabwe and BSNL launched a WiMax network in rural areas of India.

In the U.S. universities are leading the way by expanding their WiMax network. NMU covers most of the surrounding town with wireless broadband internet access and Nth Air has partnered with Tranzeo to help with the construction of  WiMax networks in Florida, California and Texas.

Top Five Stories of the Week

1. Clearwire Leasing Space on Network

2. RUS Gifts Grants

3. Alvarion Releases 4Q Report

4. D.R. Getting Mobile WiMax

5. WiMax Congress Asia Events Announced

Tweet of the Week: njarrar: totally agree RT @mkhawaja: Just tested our #mada wimax with @Hamayassen from home. really impressed by their quality customer service

Stat of the Week: 40 percent of the High-Speed 2go customers are new high-speed internet customers for Comcast in Portland, OR.

Photo Courtesy of Travel Aficionado via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com

VisionShopsters has released a new report about the advantages of WiMax and 4G technology for smart grid build outs. The report stated that with 4G tech, smart grids will be cost effective for power companies to monitor production and consumption.

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded billions of dollars in smart grid grants while regulators have lagged in providing standards for the industry. Power companies should look to telecommunications companies to take advantage of federal dollars for smart grid deployments while saving money on operating expenses. Deployment could enable utilities companies to offer wholesale and retail 4G service, lessening the cost per household.

Concerns about smart grids include the security and the reliability of technology and the potential for harmful interference to take down the network. The report also analyzes a BPL-based smart grid deployment costing $1,000 per household reached. The research found that a mobile 4G network could have been deployed at a cost of $440 per household.

Countries are building smart grids fairly regularly. Venezuela recently contracted Proxim to launch smart grid services in their country. Due to lack of regulation, it could be a while before we see smart grids launched in the U.S though.

A smart grid with WiMax can be deployed at half the cost of broadband over Power Line via off the shelf solution from equipment providers like Alvarion and Proxim. Additional revenue can be generated through telecom services supported by smart grid applications, providing utilities with costs savings through instant meter reading and other mobile workforce applications.

Click Here to Purchase the Full Report

Photo Courtesy of JeffersonDavid via Flickr

Visit Going WiMax, the premier website in the industry for 'Everything WiMax' ! Read more about WiMax, 4G, LTE and Wireless technology at www.goingwimax.com