Intel Corp. on Wednesday said that thirteen carriers from around the world are now deploying the first fixed WiMAX networks based on the company’s WiMAX technologies, delivering high-speed broadband access to businesses and residences.  Eleven more carriers are preparing to deploy additional Intel-based WiMAX networks by year’s end, the company indicated.

“As WiMAX gains momentum in full deployments, homes and businesses gain the ease and power of cost-effective wireless networking. We are now delivering the promise of WiMAX – high-speed, cost-effective wireless broadband access – to businesses and consumers in cities and suburbs around the world,” said Scott Richardson, general manager of Intel’s broadband wireless division.

In collaboration with Intel, and using equipment based on the Intel PRO/Wireless 5116 broadband interface, commercial networks have now been deployed by the following carriers: Altitude Telecom (France), AXTEL (Mexico), BEC Telecom, S.A. (Dominican Republic), Dedicado (Uruguay), Globe/Innove (Philippines), Iberbanda (Spain), Irish Broadband (Ireland), SferaNET (Poland), Mikkelin Puhelin Oy and Savonlinnan Puhelin Oy (Finland), Telgua (Guatemala), Ukrainian High Technologies (Ukraine), and WiMAX Telecom (Austria and Slovakia).

In addition, several carriers are in the process of deploying WiMAX networks that are expected to be up and running by the end of the year, including: Americatel Peru S.A. (Peru), Call Plus (New Zealand), Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan), DBD Deutsched Breitband Dienste (Germany), Digicel (Caribbean), Entel (Chile), Ertach (Argentina), Integrated Telecom Company (Saudi Arabia), Next Mobile (Philippines), Taiwan Fixed Networks (Taiwan) and VeloCom (Argentina).

The new WiMAX networks will deliver broadband services, including Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) to consumers, businesses, schools and public offices, using Intel-based customer premises equipment from Airspan, Alcatel, Alvarion and Redline Communications.

Various versions of WiMAX allow devices to connect to a network at speeds of up to 70Mb/s in the range of 31 miles around the “access point”.