Indonesian WiMAX Vendors

You might have heard about WiMAX. WiMAX promises an enhanced data rate and quality for wireless broadband, while achieving the mass market price of WiFi – due to component standardization and interoperability. Backed up by big names like Intel which plans to integrate WiMAX chip in every laptop (and recently invested in Sprint/Clearwire JV)…

WiMAX activities in Indonesia has been on the rise lately, in anticipation to the to be announced 2.3 GHz license tender. The tender has been delayed since 2 years, most probably due to some political reasons and few controversies.

One of the reason is the emphasis of local (Indonesian) content – meaning all frequency bidders need to explain how they plan to use local vendors in deploying their network. Meanwhile, no Indonesian vendors at that time were ready.

Then the controversies: Indonesia allocated WiMAX in the 2.3 GHz band and planned to use 16d standard.

Actually, The 2.3 GHz is not an issue anymore, because WiMAX Forum has recently put that band into the certification pipeline for 16e. Thus standard components from various suppliers will start to emerge soon.

The “16d” or fixed WiMAX system is frankly less sexy than the newer “16e” or mobile WiMAX. There is supposed to be cost advantage of 16d, but apparently it is diminishing fast. I think 16e will catch up sooner that we expect (probably did already!).

But combining both 2.3 GHz and 16d is the most problematic. It tends to be a proprietary system. Nobody that I know of in the industry has that product. There is already an Indonesian specific Ditjen Postel standard for nomadic broadband wireless equipment. I think we are to comply with this standard.

Recently, two vendors (Hariff DTE and TRG) have launched their 2.3 GHz WiMAX 16d systems (base station, modem, NMS). Taking advantage of the “standard.”

But yesterday’s ad in Kompas from xirka took me (and a lot of people, I guess) by surprise! It is a very timely released, in time for the upcoming “National Awakening Day” and National ICT expo next week, where the 16d guys are having their demo.

Mentioned in the ad: “BWA microchip (chipset, I guess), made in Indonesia by Indonesian, supporting the 16e Mobile WiMAX.”

Cool. “Curious” might be the right word, on second thought.

While we still have to see the real results, whether this chip will actually be used in any CPE or BTS equipment produced by system vendors, I am quite proud.

xirka brand itself is owned by PT Dama Persada (shareholder of DNET and closely tied to Sylvia Sumarlin).

Update: Apparently, the man behind the design is Trio Adiono. A lecturer from STEI ITB. He is a Japanese PhD graduate specializing in chip design.