Intel further invests in WiMAX

Intel Capital, Intel Corporation’s global investment organization, has invested $43 million in Japan-based UQ Communications, a provider of WiMAX mobile services.

UQ Communications will utilize the funding to continue the nationwide expansion of UQ WiMAX service in Japan, with the commitment to provide WiMAX coverage to 90 percent of the country by 2012.

“Intel Capital’s investment in UQ Communications is one of our most significant commitments in developing the WiMAX ecosystem around the globe,” said Arvind Sodhani, president of Intel Capital and Intel executive vice president. “UQ’s WiMAX deployment in Japan is a spectacular example of technology innovation being put to work.”

“UQ Communications values Intel Capital’s investment to help expand our WiMAX service in Japan,” said Takashi Tanaka, CEO of UQ Communications. “We look forward to further collaboration with Intel and Intel Capital.”

Intel has played a large role in the proliferation of the WiMAX global standard. The company has worked closely with computing and communications manufacturers to embed WiMAX-enabled chipsets in devices, and has made significant capital investments worldwide to help service providers build and deploy networks as well as address spectrum and regulatory needs. To date, nearly 460 WiMAX networks have been deployed in 135 countries.

UQ Communications will formally launch UQ WiMAX service on July 1.

Intel has been making a large push towards global embedded WiMAX rollout with the recent acquisition of Wind River Systems, a global embedded technology developer.

Intel has plans to launch an embedded laptop service in conjunction with iBurst in 2010.