Jackson Hole Gets WiMax Network

Just two weeks after receiving approval from the WiMax Forum for its WiMax base station, Alvarion announced that the product is already in service in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Mobile WiMax is being introduced in the United States in fits and starts. The Jackson Hole service, offered by DigitalBridge Communications, is available for consumers and businesses in the posh resort community. Most users will need WiMax PC cards or built-in WiMax capability in their laptops to take advantage of the roving service.

Alvarion is in the vanguard of WiMax base-station providers. Other firms receiving base station certification from the WiMax Forum include Motorola, Samsung, and Sequans. DigitalBridge is using Alvarion's BreezeMAX 2.5-GHz product in its deployment.

"Building on our strong relationship with Alvarion ... [we] offer the Jackson Hole area, and similar communities in the near future, advanced and affordable mobile services," said DigitalBridge CEO Kelley Dunne in a statement.

DigitalBridge said its current Jackson Hole audience area reaches some 3,000 homes and businesses. The company indicated it eventually wants to expand WiMax mobile capabilities throughout its 200,000-household deployment area.

Some Mobile WiMax gear is already functioning well in the United States, primarily in rural areas like Jackson Hole. While some systems may not be certified by the WiMax Forum, most of the equipment in use has been designed to be easily upgraded for WiMax Forum approval.

Alvarion has installed several million dollars worth of fixed WiMax equipment at multiple locations around the world.