Unwired Australia courts three equipment finalists for mobile WiMAX network

Leading Australian operator prepares to deploy next-generation mobile WiMAX infrastructure.

Wireless network operator Unwired has narrowed the field to three in its bid to select a WiMAX infrastructure provider for its burgeoning Australia market - Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei and Motorola.  The eventual partner will be charged with installing hundreds of mobile WiMAX base stations so current broadband wireless customers may migrate to standards-based gear.

The operator recently surpassed its goal of providing wireless network services to 70,000 customers, a figure that the company claims takes it across the barrier to financial profitability.  Unwired's current network is based on radios from Navini Networks, acquired by Cisco Systems in November 2007.  While no final decision has been announced, Unwired has been demonstrating the capabilities of mobile WiMAX to local members of the Australian press using Motorola kit.  The current network is anticipated to operate in parallel with the new equipment until customers transition to the faster services.

According to Unwired CTO Eric Hamilton, customers can expect download speeds of 2 Mbps under mobile conditions.  Peak data rates of 4~6 Mbps are achievable.  The new WiMAX network will be marketed to business and residential subscribers, in addition to vertical markets such as utilities.  Both Energy Australia and SP Ausnet have been trialing WiMAX networks for remote meter reading.

Unwired, founded in 2000, is owned by Seven Network Limited.  The network operator has broadband wireless spectrum rights at 3.5 GHz covering Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Geelong, Newcastle and Australia's central coast.  Additional allocations in the 2.3 GHz frequency band have also been acquired.

By Jeff Orr, ORR Technology, LLC

Wednesday, October 01, 2008 in Deployments  | Permalink |  Comments (1)