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Green Packet Leverages Its WiMAX Advantages; Sees Strong Growth Opportunities
Operating as both a WiMAX equipment & solutions provider as well as a WiMAX service provider through its Packet One Networks subsidiary in Malaysia, Green Packet Berhad offers a unique prospective into the growing wireless broadband industry. Interview with Kelvin Lee, Senior General Manager of Green Packet.
Although originally founded in Silicon Valley in 2000, Green Packet is based in
Kuala Lumpur with over 630 employees in Malaysia, Singapore, Bahrain, Australia,
Taiwan, China and the US. The company operates as two distinct business:
Its Solutions & Products Group, and its Converged Services business - operating
as WiMAX service provider "Packet One Networks" in Malaysia.
Green Packet's Solutions & Products group is lead by Kelvin Lee and offers
next-generation mobile broadband and network management solutions. The
company started out developing 3G solutions which still comprises 70% of its
business, but sees vast growth opportunities for WiMAX and has invested
extensive resources.
The company develops a wide range of devices across all WiMAX profiles including
2.3GHz, 2.5 and 3.5 utilizing silicon from all the major WiMAX chip providers.
Earlier this month at the WiMAX Forum Global Congress in Amsterdam, the company
announced its latest partnership with Beceem to develop a USB dongle based on
Beceem's BCSM250 single chip solution. Green Packet supplies devices to
its Packet One subsidiary as well as other WiMAX operators.
"We see significant growth in this market and are encouraged by the number of
operators coming out," says Lee. "We have engaged operators in all of the
major markets. We can already do many of the things with WiMAX that can be
done with 3G, including seamless mobility, roaming, etc."
The company has also developed expertise around connection management solutions
with its "Intouch Connection Management Platform" (ICMP) that allows for
seamless connections as user move between WiMAX and Wi-Fi networks. "We
are the first in world to provide Wi-Fi to WiMAX seamless handoff roaming, says
Lee. "If you are on WiMAX and move to Wi-FI are using skype, (or other IP
applications) that session would continue without the session being dropped."
Another popular device for many carriers has been the integration of Wi-FI into
WiMAX devices. Earlier this year Green Packet came out with its DV230
integrated WiMAX/Wi-FI modem. These devices provide Wi-MAX into the modem
and then Wi-FI out to other devices. "This is something that a lot of
operators want and something we just launched in Malaysia on Packet One," says
Lee.
DV230 - Integrated WiMAX/Wi-Fi indoor modem
As a service provider, Green Packet operates the largest WiMAX network in Asia
outside of Korea through its Packet One Networks subsidiary in Malaysia.
Packet One operates a mobile WiMAX network on 2.3 GHz and plans to have 250,000
subscribers and cover 35% of the country by the end of the year.
"Working with Packet One the company gets a lot of R&D insight," says Lee.
"We work closely with Packet One and are able to iron out problems. We
know the issues and start-up problems and are able to articulate that when we
talk to other operators."
Lee also sees advantages for WiMAX with regards to cost in comparison with 3G
technologies. "In the WiMAX ecosystem, there are a lot more players.
In chipsets you have 4 major ones and bunch of smaller ones. With 3G, it
is controlled by Qualcom and a few others. We see 3G prices doping slowly,
but with WiMAX, prices are dropping much faster."
Given its large existing 3G business, Green Packet is somewhat agnostic to a
specific technology and instead prefers to listen to its customers. "Since
we are playing on both sides (3G & WiMAX), we don't prefer one technology over
the other," says Lee. "But since Packet One is a WiMAX operator, WiMAX is
close to our hearts."
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