Dell offers WiMAX laptop upgrade, initially for Clearwire

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Dell offers WiMAX laptop upgrade, initially for Clearwire

By CAROLINE GABRIEL

Published: 7 May, 2009

READ MORE: Clearwire | Laptops | WiMAX | Dell

Any new network relies on a critical mass of devices, and WiMAX is starting to approach that, at least in the notebook/modem world. Early mobile broadband operators like Clearwire may have launched with only a few gadgets, but they are filling up their catalogs, with Russia's Yota now boasting 31 products. Now the market has received a much needed big-name boost from Dell, which is offering a $60 upgrade for certain laptops to support WiMAX, and will provide embedded models later in the year.

A range of notebook and USB modem/PC card makers have started adding WiMAX since chips became readily available from Intel and others, but Dell is the biggest hitter so far. It will offer the upgrade option, an Intel 5159 WiMAX/802.11n module, for its Studio 15, Studio 17 and Studio XPS 16 laptops, initially selling these on the Clearwire network in the US. These products come as standard with an 802.11n Mini Card - though, as desktop replacement laptops, they are arguably rather bulky to be ideal for really mobile broadband. However, other models should follow.

Insiders in the PC giant told Rethink Wireless that the company would also start to offer embedded products that would be able to roam over different WiMAX networks around the world - it believes full interoperability has now been achieved at equipment level, to support roaming, and it is now waiting to see sufficient demand outside the US. With UQ going live in Japan this month, Yota expanding in Russia, and other major operators supporting laptop services, Dell insiders expect to see this demand later in 2009 or early in 2010.

Dell clearly wants to grab first pickings as Clearwire extends its territories, and said it was working actively with the operator to expand services. "Once it's available in more cities, you won't have to spend time looking for hotspots," wrote Dell's inhouse blogger Lionel Menchaca. "WiMAX is fast too-it offers peak download rates of about 13Mbps and up to 3Mbps upload speeds."

Dell also said it was considering LTE support in its laptops, but has no specific timelines - again, it will monitor user demand. The company also appears to be close to launching an Android netbook, though the news came from third party Bsquare, which has ported Adobe Flash Lite 3.17 to "Dell netbooks running Google's Android platform".

Hewlett-Packard is being more cautious about new connectivity in its notebooks and told ZDnet that "at this time it is premature to integrate Mobile WiMAX into HP notebooks due to the limited scope of commercially available networks". Acer has qualified WiMAX on several notebooks but has not yet gone commercial with them, although there are various USB modems available that work with any PC.

Also on the WiMAX front, Alvarion posted flat sales and wider losses in its first quarter despite growth in WiMAX revenues. The Israeli firm was hit by project delays on the WiMAX front though, as well as by declines in its proprietary ranges. It posted a net loss of $852,000, compared to $601,000 in the same quarter last year, on revenue up just 1% to $67.9m. WiMAX shipments were steady at $40.6m, though revenue rose by 30% to $50.9m because of sales recognized from prior shipments.