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WiMAX Forum Establishes Working Group to Address Worldwide Regulatory Issues

Organization to Tackle Spectrum Availability and Global Harmonization

SAN JOSE, Calif. & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 2004--In an effort to create a regulatory environment favorable to the widespread global deployment of WiMAX Forum Certified(TM) systems, the WiMAX Forum(TM) has established a Regulatory Working Group (RWG). The aim of the RWG is to ensure availability and global harmonization of "WiMAX friendly" spectrum worldwide. The group will enable the WiMAX Forum to effectively combine the efforts of its more than 100 members in order to present a unified and consistent message when meeting with regulators around the world.
The primary goal of the WiMAX Forum RWG is to ensure the availability of licensed and license-exempt spectrum by encouraging the worldwide, uniform adoption of specific frequency bands for Broadband Wireless Access (BWA). Additionally, the RWG will work with regulators to develop flexible and technology neutral regulatory frameworks, allowing usage models to evolve as the BWA market matures and enabling service providers to deploy the most appropriate solutions for their markets.

"For Broadband Wireless Access, the availability of spectrum is mission critical for enabling mass-market deployments," said Margaret LaBrecque, WiMAX Forum RWG chairperson. "Volume is what will drive the economies of scale that will enable the industry to deliver the most cost-effective, highest performance equipment possible."

Global harmonization, or the uniform allocation of spectrum worldwide, is crucial to lowering equipment costs because radios are a major cost component in developing WiMAX Forum Certified systems. To maximize radio performance and minimize costs, radios must be optimized for each of the major spectrum bands that are suitable for WiMAX deployments.

"Cost is a major factor for the proliferation of WiMAX," said Sky Light Research Principal Analyst Emmy Johnson. "The fewer types of radios needed to serve the worldwide BWA market, the greater the economies of scale that can be achieved in manufacturing."

Initially, the WiMAX Forum believes global harmonization for broadband wireless access can be achieved in the following spectrum bands:

-- License-Exempt 5 GHz: Because license-exempt spectrum is free to use, this band is a key to enabling grassroots deployments in underserved, low population density rural and remote markets. The WiMAX Forum will commit additional resources -- notably in Europe -- to promote wider release of this band in a harmonized and timely manner.

-- Licensed 3.5 GHz: In these bands, the focus of the WiMAX Forum will be to minimize unnecessary technical and regulatory requirements that might constrain BWA usage models and overall market development.

-- Licensed 2.5 GHz: Though already allocated in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and some Southeast Asian countries, the WiMAX Forum is participating in ongoing global efforts to make this band available in other countries on a technology neutral basis.

"Broadband Wireless Access is a very promising alternative for competitive carriers. To achieve its potential, currently imposed technical and licensing rules need to be liberalized and updated," said Jim Kirkland, Covad's general counsel and senior vice president. "Covad stands ready to work with and within the WiMAX Forum and the WCA to help drive the necessary changes."

"We are pleased to see industry groups such as the WiMAX Forum taking a leadership role in driving global spectrum policies to enable broadband access for the largest number of consumers possible," said Tim Hewitt, head of Radio Spectrum Policy for BT Group.

In addition to these efforts, the WiMAX Forum will work with world standards and regulatory bodies to advance the allocation of licensed and license-exempt spectrum in lower frequency bands. The propagation of radio waves is better at lower frequencies, such as the 700 MHz frequency range which is expected to become available as television stations transition from analog to digital broadcasting. In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission is considering both licensed and license-exempt allocations in this band. The WiMAX Forum will work with the FCC and similar organizations globally to allocate lower frequency bands for broadband wireless.

The WiMAX Forum's Margaret LaBrecque will discuss these and other issues during a panel session today at WCA 2004, in Washington, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. Moderated by Sky Light Research Principal Analyst Emmy Johnson, "WiMAX Certification Briefing for Regulators and Carriers" will take place at 5 p.m. in the WiMAX Theater in the main exhibit hall.

Attendees at WCA 2004 can visit the WiMAX Forum booth, No. 534, to learn more about the WiMAX Forum and regulatory issues impacting the deployment of WiMAX technology worldwide.

About WiMAX Forum(TM)

The WiMAX Forum is an industry-led, non-profit corporation formed to promote and certify the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products using the IEEE 802.16 and ETSI HiperMAN wireless MAN specifications. The forum's goal is to accelerate the introduction of these devices into the marketplace. WiMAX Forum Certified(TM) products will be fully interoperable and support Metropolitan Broadband Fixed and Portable Applications. For more information about the WiMAX Forum and its activities, please visit www.WiMAXForum.org.

WiMAX Forum(TM) and WiMAX Forum Certified(TM) are registered trademarks of the WiMAX Forum(TM).

Contacts


Edelman PR for WiMAX Forum
Kendra Petrone, 214-443-7597
Mobile 214-773-5615
kendra.petrone@edelman.com

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