Seoul, Korea, August 20th 2010 - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading provider of future mobile technologies, announced today that coverage of the company’s 4G Mobile WiMAX networks can reach 200 million people around the globe. More than 3 million Mobile WiMAX 4G subscribers enjoy today super-fast and high-quality broadband wireless services using Samsung technology.
Samsung provides its field-proven equipment to 56 Mobile WiMAX operators in 34 countries including industry-leading operators such as Clearwire in US, UQ Communications in Japan and YTL Communications in Malaysia. Samsung is present in 13 countries in Asia, 8 countries in Middle East and Africa, 7 countries in Europe and 6 countries in the Americas. Samsung has achieved a strategic foothold and has seen its business expand on each continent.
In 2009, Samsung had already deployed commercial Mobile WiMAX networks for a population of 150 million with operators in Asia and the America. In 2010, operators are actively putting network roll-out plans into practice, Samsung Mobile WiMAX is expected to accommodate more than 300 million populations by end of this year.
Samsung estimates that the number of Mobile WiMAX subscribers using its technology exceeded 3 million in July 2010 and reaches 8 million by end of the year. As several operators plan to launch commercial Mobile WiMAX services in the second half of this year, the number of subscribers is expected to grow further continuously.
Samsung forecasts the total number of Mobile WiMAX subscribers across the industry will exceed 20 million in 2010 and 45 million in 2011. The Mobile WiMAX coverage and number of subscribers will be dramatically increased if India joins the Mobile WiMAX 4G world.
Woonsub Kim, Executive Vice President and head of Telecom Systems Business at Samsung Electronics said, “More than 70% of Mobile WiMAX operators are new-comers such as Greenfield operators, Wireless ISPs, Broadcasters and service providers, and they are eager to provide differentiated and innovative services at a low cost. The flexibility of Mobile WiMAX gives these service providers a range of new opportunities because it can be adapted to a variety of devices including handsets, netbooks, tablet PCs, digital cameras as well as a range of consumer electronics.”
“Samsung has focused on the development of IP network solutions based on OFDMA technology since 2003 and launched the world’s first commercial 4G Mobile WiMAX service in 2006. I strongly believe Samsung is driving the worldwide popularity of Mobile Broadband services using its expertise in mobile technologies.” he added.
Samsung has also taken a leading role in standardization and development of Mobile WiMAX. In April 2010, Samsung and industry’s top silicon suppliers, equipment makers and research organizations commenced a new initiative to accelerate the interoperability of the next release of WiMAX technology, WiMAX 2, based upon the IEEE 802.16m standard.
More than 160 operators in 76 countries are providing or are preparing to offer commercial Mobile WiMAX services.