WiMAX Forum® Announces Brazil Office, Appoints Director

PORTLAND, Ore -The WiMAX Forum®, an industry-led non-profit organization comprising more than 460 companies committed to promoting and certifying interoperable WiMAX™ products, today announced establishment of the WiMAX Forum Brazil Office in conjunction with appointment of the WiMAX Forum Brazil Director.

With the expanding interest in WiMAX technology and deployments in the region, in addition to active interest from WiMAX Forum’s Brazilian member companies, the WiMAX Forum has created a permanent presence in this market with the appointment of Brazil Director, Mr. Luiz C. Moraes Rego, faculty member of the Getulio Vargas Foundation Business School of Sao Paulo (FGV-EAESP).

“I am very excited to represent the WiMAX Forum in this rapidly developing region,” said Rego. “WiMAX is a technology that matters for the emerging South American countries’ economies. A standards based technology like WiMAX will allow for quick deployment over very broad areas to help bridge the digital divide and provide businesses with more broadband solutions.”

Rego will manage all of the WiMAX Forum activities in Brazil, with a particular focus this year on addressing regulatory and member operator engagement. An important driver of new growth is to bring broadband wireless access to thousands of small and medium sized cities presently underserved or not served at all. The presence of a WiMAX Forum office and director in Brazil will help to ensure WiMAX plays a major role in this new growth.

Brazil, in particular, is a potentially significant market for WiMAX technology deployments, as WiMAX technology is already being deployed by service providers including Neovia, Brasil Telecom, Grupo Sinos, TVA and Embratel. In addition many operators, businesses have announced trials and would like to leverage WiMAX technology for broadband connectivity and digital divide.

“Brazilian Telecom Industry after years of fast growth fueled mainly by a new regulatory framework and a huge unsatisfied demand shows signs of deceleration,” said Rego. “An important driver of new growth is the potential to boost overall economic activity. WiMAX would have a major role in that.”

The WiMAX Forum Brazil Office is the organization’s sixth office, with additional offices located in the United States, China, India, Taiwan, and Japan.

About Luiz C. Moraes Rego

Mr. Luiz C. Moraes Rego, is currently a faculty member of the Getulio Vargas Foundation Business School of Sao Paulo (FGV-EAESP). Prior to his current position, he taught in the Production Engineering Department of the Polytechnic School of the University of Sao Paulo of which he was a founder. He has his own consulting firm besides acting as an independent consultant for GVConsult, the consulting arm of FGV-EAESP. Among his clients are: Siemens AG (Munich, Germany), AT&T Network Systems (New Jersey, US), Hughes Network Systems (New Jersey, US), Grupo Odebrecht (Salvador, Brasil), Telebras (Brasilia, Brasil). In the last 11 years he coordinated the conferences associated with the trade shows owned by Advanstar Communicações, the Brazilian subsidiary of Advanstar Communications (New York, US). Among those shows was Telexpo then (until 2004) the largest and most prominent event on ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) in Latin America. He authored the idea of exploiting information services by telephone companies in Brazil and in 1979 was hired by Telesp (acquired in 1998 by Telefónica de España) to head the pilot service of the second videotext service sponsored by a service provider in the Americas (after Canada). Since 2004 Moraes Rego concentrates his activities on teaching, research and consulting. Among his publications are: the chapter on “Innovation in the Brazilian Economy” of a book sponsored by the telephony operator, Telefonica, entitled “Brasil and the Information Society.” Previously he was co-author of the landmark book “Telecommunications in Brazil – Privatization or Chaos.” He authored many articles published by various trade magazines, newspapers and academic journals both in Brazil and other countries. He graduated as an aeronautical engineer by ITA, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP, Brasil. Obtained his Master of Science in Engineering degree from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, US.

About the WiMAX Forum

The WiMAX Forum® is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization formed to certify and promote the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products based upon the harmonized IEEE 802.16/ETSI HiperMAN standard. A WiMAX Forum goal is to accelerate the introduction of these systems into the marketplace. WiMAX Forum Certified™ products are interoperable and support broadband fixed, nomadic, portable and mobile services. Along these lines, the WiMAX Forum works closely with service providers and regulators to ensure that WiMAX Forum Certified systems meet customer and government requirements. Through the WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series of premier trade shows and conferences, the WiMAX Forum is committed to offering a hands-on business and education experience with meaningful networking opportunities to drive worldwide adoption of WiMAX technology and deliver wireless broadband Internet services anytime, anywhere. For more information, visit the trade show link at www.wimaxforum.org.

“WiMAX Forum” is a registered trademark of the WiMAX Forum. “WiMAX,” the WiMAX Forum logo, "WiMAX Forum Certified," and the WiMAX Forum Certified logo are trademarks of the WiMAX Forum. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

Thanks,

Mari (Pillar) Hancock
Account Supervisor
GolinHarris for the WiMAX Forum
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