Broadband on the go is coming sooner rather than later
FREEDOM4, formerly known as Pipex Wireless Limited, is a joint venture between Pipex and Intel that promises to bring mobile broadband in the form of WiMAX to the UK.
Intel's global investment organisation has signed an agreement to make a substantial investment (we don't know exactly how big substantial is, but it sounds rather large) in FREEDOM4. To help matters, Pipex Communications PLC will also be making an investment.
Following FREEDOM4's successful WiMAX trials in the UK, both Intel and Pipex will be hopeful that their investments can further accelerate the deployment of WiMAX into more areas.
WiMAX promises to deliver wireless broadband without the need to pay line rental. FREEDOM4 plans on providing symmetrical packages that should give business users a 4Mbit/s connection and home users a 1Mbit/s connection. Symmetrical broadband services however, which offer the same upstream data rate as downstream, are significantly more expensive than asymmetric services. FREEDOM4 hasn't yet announced pricing for its proposed services but we don't expect them to be as affordable as your home broadband connection.
“Intel Capital is a major investor in WiMAX technology and is committed to accelerating the deployment of open-standards mobile broadband around the world,” said Arvind Sodhani, president of Intel Capital. “FREEDOM4 has built a top-notch management team and this is a strategic investment opportunity through which we can help facilitate the deployment of wireless broadband in the U.K market.”
Mike Read, CEO, FREEDOM4 adds, “Following the success of the commercial launch of our services in Milton Keynes, we are in the next phase of our development: making FREEDOM4 the market leader in ‘personal’ wireless broadband access. The investment from Intel Capital and Pipex Communications will facilitate the roll out of a WiMAX network in other cities around the U.K., providing a truly flexible service to businesses and consumers.”
FREEDOM4 currently only covers Manchester, Milton Keynes and Warwick. It's going to take this investment from Intel and a whole lot more to get the UK's WiMAX service widespread. We're all for wireless internet though so we'll be keeping a close eye on FREEDOM4's progress.
Official press release: INTEL AND FREEDOM4 COLLABORATE TO ACCELERATE DEPLOYMENT OF WIMAX NEXTWORK IN THE UK
Official website: FREEDOM4.com
