Fujitsu Building WiMAX from Taiwan

Fujitsu Global Mobile Platform Inc., a joint venture established based on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) tied between Fujitsu Limited’s former LSI business, and the Institute for Information Industry of Taiwan, have announced the commencement of operations, according to this press release. FMPI will develop reference designs - designs which improve design efficiencies - for WiMAX-related products for Taiwan-based ODM vendors, in addition to providing technical support.

Mobile WiMAX commercial services are anticipated to begin in Taiwan, Japan, and the U.S. from around August 2009. Much of the design and manufacturing of WiMAX-related products required for those services, including mobile WiMAX devices and mobile WiMAX ultra-small base stations, is conducted by numerous ODM vendors centered in Taiwan.

Based on advanced WiMAX system-on-chip (SoC) solutions from FML and software technologies from III, FMPI will provide Taiwan-based ODM vendors with reference designs for WiMAX-related products in addition to technical support. Initial WiMAX commercial services are foreseen to be PC-based, utilizing computer accessories such as PC cards or USB dongles which will feature functions for WiMAX.As an early development, five (5) ODM vendors in Taiwan have already committed to use FML’s WiMAX solutions - FMPI will offer these ODM vendors with technical support for products that the vendors plan to commercialize, and will also develop related software. Hereon, FMPI plans to provide technical support for a greater number of vendors as well.