The first public demonstration of 802.16e-based, MOTOwi4 went underway for underserved markets. Unveiled during CTIA Wireless 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada Motorola demonstrated IP telephony over its MOTOwi4 WiMAX platform.



Motorola’s first MOTOwi4 WiMAX system focuses on delivering low-cost fixed and roaming services in underserved markets also in developing countries using the 3.5GHz spectrum which is available in most of the world.  Although the IEEE 802.16e WiMAX standard is most often associated with mobility, it is a more robust wireless access technology than 802.16-2004 and is well suited for fixed deployments.




“While WiMAX has been touted for its ability to deliver advanced applications, there is a significant market need to provide basic connectivity,” said Dan Coombes, senior vice president and general manager of Wireless Broadband Networks and chief technology officer for Motorola Networks.  “With our 802.16e-based ultra-light solution we can deliver cost-effective fixed broadband access where people need it to meet simple needs for voice service, and to give them Internet access that allows them to share information throughout their communities and around the world.”


The MOTOwi4 WiMAX system used at CTIA Wireless 2006 is an “ultra-light access point,” a highly integrated access point that is unlike a traditional floor mounted cellular-style base station and can be mounted virtually anywhere to provide high-speed wireless broadband coverage.  Retaining the benefits of Motorola’s highly successful MOTOwi4 Canopy(R) solution, this 3.5GHz system is compact, lightweight and easy to deploy, making it an ideal solution for new and existing carriers with 3.5GHz fixed wireless access

licenses in developing countries, as well as rural areas in developed countries, especially in Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.


The product displayed is now shipping in limited quantities to pre-selected and qualified operators in several regions across the globe.  It is expected to be interoperable with subscriber modem devices manufactured by third parties.  Many early shipments are also in conjunction with a carrier class IP core based around Motorola’s leading IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) platform.