WiMAX Market Status

Though in an embryonic stage at present, the mobile technology WiMAX is gradually picking up steam and is poised to become part of your personal gadgets like digital cameras, personal media players, and eventually mobile phones.

One indication for the WiMAX growth is the development in the WiMAX semiconductor market and the arrival of some new mobile platforms. According to tech market research firm IDC, WiMAX is entering its seminal year with more than 200 infrastructure deployments underway and a WiMAX-capable mobile PC platform expected from Intel in the second quarter.

With these developments in place and additional devices on the horizon, IDC expects worldwide WiMAX semiconductor revenue to reach nearly $480 million this year, growing to $1.2 billion in 2012.

The market is expected to gain further momentum with the release of Montevina platform, which is Intel’s first Centrino processor technology for notebooks to offer the option of integrated Wi-Fi and WiMAX wireless technologies for greater wireless broadband access.

Single-Chip, 2.3 To 2.7 GHz, WiMAX MIMO RF Transceiver Launched

Sunnyvale, CA - Maxim Integrated Products introduced the MAX2839, the company's first single-chip, 2.3 to 2.7 GHz, WiMAX MIMO RF transceiver in high-volume production. This device uses a dual-receiver architecture to mitigate RF channel fading, thereby increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by as much as 10 dB compared to a single-receiver architecture. This improved performance maximizes the data throughput and radio-link range of nomadic and mobile WiMAX subscriber applications in notebook computers, express/PC cards, smartphones, and in-home desktop CPE modems. Currently shipping in volume to customers worldwide, the MAX2839 is ideal for mobile WiMAX, Korean WiBro, and other OFDM-based wireless broadband systems.

Designed using Maxim's in-house, high-performance SiGe BiCMOS process, the MAX2839 provides the industry's best receiver noise performance. Both of the two receivers feature the industry's lowest noise figure at 2.3dB, -81dBm sensitivity for a 64-QAM signal at 5MHz channel bandwidth, and a 95dB gain control range that is digitally controlled in 1dB steps. Factory calibrated to achieve better than -35dB EVM, -45dBc of sideband suppression, and carrier leakage of -40dBc without DC-offset correction, the receivers significantly simplify integration with the digital MAC/baseband IC.

On the transmitter, the MAX2839 features a 62dB gain control range, digitally controlled in 1dB steps. It delivers a 0dBm linear output with a 64-QAM signal, greater than -45dBc of sideband suppression, and more than -36dB EVM, while meeting a -70dBr spectral mask.

The MAX2839 operates from a 2.7V to 3.6V supply. A low-power shutdown mode reduces current consumption to 10 microamps to save power in system-sleep/standby mode. This transceiver is available in a small, 8mm x 8mm, leadless, 56-pin TQFN package. An evaluation kit is available to speed designs. Contact the factory for the radio reference design or the complete RF and MAC/baseband reference design.

SOURCE: Maxim Integrated Products

Buy Nokia N810 WiMax Edition at $432

The cost of the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition is $432.

Nokia first demonstrated the wide-area wireless broadband service-enabled version of the N810 at the CTIA Wireless show in Las Vegas earlier this month. The mobile phone giant said the device would ship in the U.S. this summer, with distribution first focused on areas where WiMax is available.

The N810 with WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is compatible with Sprint's XOHM WiMAX service.

WiMax is considered a 4G technology for mobile operators. It is much faster than today's wireless networks and offers a range of support that's much broader than Wi-Fi. A WiMax network is made of base stations, each with a radius of two to three miles, that interconnect to provide service over a large area.

Other than the addition of WiMax, the upcoming version of the N810 will be very similar to the current version of the Internet tablet.

It runs on Linux and includes integrated Bluetooth with support for A2DP, which means you can use wireless stereo headphones to enjoy the N810's multimedia features.

There's also full hardware-based QWERTY thumb-keyboard that slides out from underneath the display and a global positioning system (GPS) chip to support location-based services.

The current N810 model weighs 7.9 ounces and measures 5.0 x 2.83 x 0.55 inches.

Additional features include a VGA webcam, an ambient light sensor, stereo speakers, a microphone, integrated desk stand, a hardware lock key, 3.5mm headphone jack, and the same size 4.13-inch and WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) resolution touch display.

The N810 runs on a 400MHz processor, 128MB or RAM, and 256MB ROM. Although it includes 2GB of internal memory, you can greatly increase its storage capacity through both miniSD and microSD cards.