Intel Corp. has announced the availability of the Intel WiMAX Connection 2250, the company’s next-generation system-on-chip and its first designed to support mobile networks in addition to fixed networks.

“Intel is bringing its first mobile WiMAX compliant product to market, marking an incredibly important step in the launch of mobile WiMAX,” said Intel’s  vice president and general manager of Intel’s Sales and Marketing Group Sean Maloney. “The first with dual mode support, the new chip bridges the worlds of fixed and mobile WiMAX, helping equipment manufacturers build customer premise equipment at increasingly attractive price points, and service providers to break ground on upgradeable networks.”

Service providers may benefit from the versatility and faster time to market afforded by the dual-mode support of the Intel WiMAX Connection 2250. Compliance with both the IEEE 802.16-2004 fixed standard and the more advanced IEEE 802.16e-2005 specification for fixed, nomadic and mobile WiMAX functionality enables the development of customer premise equipment that can be deployed in “d” mode and upgraded to “e” mode with a quick over-the-air software upgrade. The Intel WiMAX Connection 2250 is optimized for cost-effective WiMAX modems and offers flexibility in equipment design, deployment and application, Intel indicated.

The Intel WiMAX Connection 2250 is a dual-mode baseband chip, and when paired with Intel’s discrete tri-band WiMAX radio, the solution is capable of supporting all global WiMAX frequencies.

Motorola and some other telecommunications equipment manufacturers currently expected to deliver Intel WiMAX Connection 2250-based products in 2007.