Just over a year ago, we were all making bitter beer faces at FCC chairman Kevin Martin for not going along with a delightful sounding "free internet" plan. Now, it seems the main man's tune has changed. During a recent interview, Martin stated that there was a "social obligation in making sure everybody could participate in the next generation of broadband services because, increasingly, that's what people want." He's reportedly looking to attach a free mobile broadband requirement to the AWS-3 spectrum that's set to be auctioned next year, which would require the winner to allocate 25% for gratis access. 'Course, we wouldn't get our hopes us for this to actually go down like it surely is playing out in your mind just now, but we won't fault you for dreamin'.

[Via phonescoop]

While much of the world rallies around LTE, Intel's still doing its thang with WiMAX. According to Garth Collier, general manager of WiMax at Intel Asia-Pacific, the outfit is gearing up to "start supporting other markets outside of the US at 2.5GHz and in other spectrum profiles." As it stands, the Centrino 2 chip package supports a version of the technology that uses the 2.5GHz spectrum, and while Mr. Collier didn't specify which WiMAX profile would be added in 2009, deductive reasoning leads us to believe that 2.3GHz (used in South Korea) and 3.5GHz (used in Pakistan) are in the cards. Beyond that, details are few and far between, but we'd expect to hear something a bit more solid at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco.

[Via InfoWorld, image courtesy of CNET]

Just when we were about to forget about you, Centrino 2, here you come with your efficient bad self. Intel finally announced the new 802.11 Wi-Fi, integrated graphics-packing mobile platform after delays related to the wireless tech. Centrino 2 will come in two varieties: one for consumers and the vPro platform for the briefcase crew. The chipset can be configured for gamers, using a discrete graphics chip rather than the integrated set, if that's your thing. Of most import (or amusement) is Intel's HUGI (Hurry Up and Get Idle), which it says is the tech behind the Centrino 2's uber-efficiency -- faster speeds mean less time spent doing stuff, of course. It notes that the tech allows for an entire Blu-Ray disc to be played back for two hours on one battery charge. Finally, Intel promises a WiMax version this fall, so if you have the patience, you may want to wait for that barring further delays.

Bet you didn't see this one coming. With everyone's eyes fixed firmly on Sprint's supposedly forthcoming US WiMAX deployment in Baltimore, Chicago and Washington, DC, DigitalBridge Communications has snuck in to steal a little of the spotlight. As we speak, America's "first" (um, really?) mobile WiMAX deployment has gone live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming courtesy of Alvarion's BreezeMAX gear. The firms are hoping that high-brow tourists that come to tackle the black diamonds of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will also bring their WiMAX-enabled device and / or WiMAX card to send enviable photos back home, but only time will tell if folks find value in the offering. DBC is expected to expand the network's reach in the area (which currently hits 3,000 homes and businesses), and then "add mobile capabilities throughout its 200,000-household footprint."

[Image courtesy of TerryDreams]

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse spoke at NXTcomm08 today, and he let it slip that Sprint is planning on launching its first commercially-available WiMAX network in Baltimore in September, and expanding the trial service currently operating in Chicago and DC by the end of the year. We're assuming that means Clearwire and not Sprint itself, of course, but Hesse also touched on the carrier's WiMAX-based 4G strategy, saying that consumers "can't seem to get enough data" and that devices like digital cameras and GPS systems will eventually connect to WiMAX directly -- allowing Sprint to "break free of wireless cellphone group think." Sure, whatever -- but let's get that network lit up before we start counting chickens, shall we?

[Via Phone Scoop]

As WiMax-powered 4G networks remain the stuff of holding companies and litigation, a group of providers have gotten together to form an (evil?) alliance that they say will help speed up both development and deployment. In other words, they want Qualcomm on board, which holds the juiciest 4G patents. The Open Patent Alliance (OPA) includes Intel, the recently-formed Clearwire, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Samsung, and Sprint. Similar to the Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NextWave Wireless, Nokia Siemens Networks, Sony Ericsson coalition that is backing Long Term Evolution, this WiMAX group looks poised to take on Qualcomm with some serious collective patents, boardroom politics, and investor cash. Meanwhile, Qualcomm is sitting in the corner saying, "We already have 4G, and it's very nice." This should be interesting. Stay tuned.

Far from being the first dual-mode handset we've seen (heck, it's not even the first WiMAX-friendly dualie), Qsida's recently showcased slider is still quite intriguing. The currently unnamed cellphone supports both 802.16e WiMAX as well as GSM / GPRS / EDGE networks, and just in case you're hankering for another way to get connected, there's a built-in WiFi module too. Reportedly, the smartphone is a test device used in the M-Taiwan initiative to promote WiMAX, and aside from handling voice calls via (almost) any flavor of wireless protocol, you'll also find Windows Mobile 6.1 running the show. Granted, this particular unit wasn't down with 3G, but a spokesperson was adamant that such a handset would be added to its portfolio eventually.

Guess what? We're off the Eee (and your mama) and onto the launch of the competition. This time, it's Acer's Aspire One. The Atom-based, 8.9-inch, 1024 x 600 pixel laptop runs your choice of XP or Linux and packs 802.11b/g WiFi, up to 1GB of memory, an 8GB SSD or 2.5-inch 80GB, SD card slot, and optional 6-cell battery. It'll also sport an integrated WiMax module when the networks finally light up. Expected to hit the US in September for $399 (that's still unofficial) with a 3-cell, 2200mAh battery, standard. Puhlease. A few more snaps after the break, the rest at Engadget Chinese.

The big ASUS WiMAX news at Computex is obviously the Eee 901, but the company is coming out with a load of new wireless gear that supports the standard. Laptop users will probably be most interested in the WUSB25E2V2 USB 2.0 WiMAX dongle (pictured above), which is a little big for our tastes but should get you connected on the go. Home and business users will probably want to look into the WMNV25E2+ and WMV25E1+ base stations, which can connect to a WiMAX network and provide all the machines on your network access. No word on how much any of this stuff is going to cost, but here's hoping it's cheap enough to justify being an early adopter. Oh -- and if you're not convinced that ASUS is committed to WiMAX, peep the graphic after the break of the company's wireless vision of the future.

As you know, Asus will be announcing its Atom-based 8.9-inch Eee PC 901 and 10-inch 1001 tomorrow at Computex. However, the more obscure WiMax Expo show has already kicked off featuring a WiMax-enabled Eee PC 901. While the WiMax version won't ship until later (for obvious reasons), the 901 models at the show are being displayed in both black and white models based on a 1.6GHz Atom processor with 1GB of memory, Bluetooth, WiFi, memory card slot, and a 20GB SSD for Linux builds or 12GB SSD for Windows. Oh, and the 1.14-kg laptop features a 4- or 6-hour battery life depending upon battery selected. As to the older Eee PCs, ASUS' CEO said they'll be cutting prices on those which makes the Celeron M 701 and 900 models all the more attractive.

Read -- Eee PC 901

Although we're still waiting for WiMAX to really crash the party, WiNetworks is way ahead of the curve with its Win7200. The Pico Base Station was designed to provide "optimized indoor and outdoor WiMAX coverage," and is available in the 2.xGHz and 3.xGHz (802.16e Wave 2) frequency range. The single-piece device promises to sip power and stay tight for use in cramped environments, and it's also crafted to play nice with existing network equipment and provide interoperability with third-party WiMAX-certified gear. To date, a price has yet to be divulged, but the outfit will be proudly showcasing its new toy at the WiMAX Forum Global Congress and CommunicAsia late next month.

The FCC apparently figured we've seen as many external photos of the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition as we needed, because when Espoo's latest tablet came in for testing, Uncle Sam did us all favor and stripped it down to the chassis. Nothing too thrilling inside, obviously -- oooh, the PCB is blue! -- but if you're ready and waiting with your $455 in hand, maybe this'll be enough to tide you over until these shipping in July or so. Check the gallery for the rest of the pics.

[via MobileWhack]

ASUS has been running around demoing Eee PCs with built-in WiMAX for a while now, but a new report in the always-salacious DigiTimes says that we won't be able to get our hands on similarly-equipped units until after 2008 because the company feels the WiMAX market won't reach "maturity." Fair enough -- and ASUS is still planning on shipping the wireless tech in its larger laptops -- but something tells us that WiMAX isn't going to mature if popular devices aren't available with the tech built-in. Something about a chicken and an egg, you know?

[Via jkOnTheRun]