Intel Outlines WiMax Plans for Upcoming Rosedale Chip

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) today disclosed key technical details of its upcoming wireless broadband chip for WiMax products, which will enable long-distance, high-speed wireless Internet access for homes and businesses.

The upcoming wireless component, code named "Rosedale," is expected to be the first "system-on-a-chip" design for equipment that supports IEEE 802.16. This equipment is typically placed at a home or business to transmit and receive a wireless broadband signal providing Internet connectivity.

WiMax: Broadband Wireless

IEEE 802.16, also known as WiMax, is an emerging wireless standard that promises to provide broadband connectivity at DSL speeds across long distances.

Intel has begun sending sample Rosedale product to key customers.

"High-speed DSL and cable broadband access are only available to a fraction of computer users globally," said Scott Richardson, general manager of Intel's Broadband Wireless Group. "WiMax will make it possible to build cost-effective, high-speed wireless connections to homes and businesses be they in urban or rural environments."

According to Richardson, Intel has focused its WiMax development efforts on making it easier and more cost effective for the next generation of computer users to access the high-speed Internet.

Integration and Standardization

The new Rosedale chip was designed with a high level of integration in an effort to streamline the design process and reduce the cost of customer premise gear.

Rosedale will include the 802.16 inline security processing and a controller interface designed to enable applications such as broadband Internet streaming. Integration of these features on a single chip is said to reduce the size of the electronics because there are fewer chips required.

The Rosedale wireless broadband interface will support the newly ratified IEEE 802.16 standard, which will make it easier for carriers and end-users to select equipment from different vendors.

WiMax Forum, an industry group chartered to test and certify interoperability among WiMax products, is expected to hold initial interoperability testing and certification programs in 2005.