Intel Corp. has joined leading communications component and equipment companies in forming a non-profit corporation, called WiMAX, to help promote and certify the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless access equipment.

The group's efforts will help accelerate the introduction of IEEE* 802.16.a wireless broadband equipment into the marketplace, speeding up last-mile broadband deployment worldwide.

WiMAX members include Airspan, Alvarion, Aperto Networks, Ensemble Communications, Fujitsu, Hughes Network Systems, OFDM Forum, Nokia, Proxim and Wi-LAN, Intel said.

The 802.16a standard, approved in January of this year, is a wireless metropolitan area network technology that will connect 802.11 hot spots to the Internet and provide a wireless extension to cable and DSL for last mile broadband access. It provides up to 50-kilometers of range and allows users to get broadband connectivity without needing a direct line of sight with the base station. The wireless broadband technology also provides shared data rates up to 70-Mbit/s.

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