Geneva, October 6, 2009 - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading provider of Mobile WiMAX solutions, today introduced its vision and commitment for Mobile WiMAX Release 2 based on IEEE 802.16m, the next generation of Mobile WiMAX technology, at ITU Telecom World 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland.
IEEE 802.16m is one of the major candidates for IMT-Advanced technologies by ITU. Among many enhancements, IEEE 802.16m systems can provide four times faster data speed than the current Mobile WiMAX Release 1 based on IEEE 802.16e technology. The incorporation of Multi-User MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology also improves spectral efficiency.
The IEEE 802.16m standard is the core technology for Mobile WiMAX Release 2, which enables more efficient, faster, and more converged data communications. Samsung Electronics is seeking to take the lead in the rapid commercialization and deployment as a leading system and device provider for Mobile WiMAX.
Mobile WiMAX Release 2 provides strong backward compatibility with Release 1 solutions. It allows current Mobile WiMAX operators to migrate their Release 1 solutions to Release 2 by upgrading channel cards or software of their systems. Also, the subscribers who use currently available Mobile WiMAX devices can communicate with new Mobile WiMAX Release 2 systems without difficulty.
At ITU Telecom World 2009, Samsung will further demonstrate its commitment to Mobile WiMAX Release 2 by successfully showing its total throughput and perfect backward compatibility. Samsung uses its commercial Mobile WiMAX base station which is currently deployed and operated by major Mobile WiMAX operators around the globe.
Samsung plans to provide the first trial solutions of Mobile WiMAX Release 2 for Yota in Russia, Clearwire in the United States and UQ Communications in Japan by late 2010, and work closely with other major operators.
“We observed how Mobile WiMAX opened up a new era of mobile broadband and enriched people’s daily life,” said Woonsub Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of the Telecommunication Systems Division of Samsung Electronics. “Mobile WiMAX Release 2 will deliver even higher level of the service to customers while unlock a potential opportunity to service operators. Samsung continues to drive the pace of development of Mobile WiMAX Release 2 and collaborate with our customers to enable the opportunity on this technology in the future,” he added.
Samsung is strengthening its position as a leader in Mobile WiMAX technology as well as in the global market. Samsung also plays an important role in developing technical specifications in IEEE 802.16 and the WiMAX Forum. Moreover, together with other WiMAX partners, Samsung has been leading promotion efforts of Mobile WiMAX as an international mobile technology for IMT-2000 and IMT-Advanced.