Vegas Gets View Of Intels WiMax

Intel chose the Interop 2005 conference in Las Vegas for a live demonstration of its WiMax technology that will offer high-speed wireless Internet access over large areas.

At the Interop 2005 conference in Las Vegas, NV, Intel provided a live demonstration of its WiMax wireless broadband technology over a 500-square-mile area.

Viewed from a live feed in Mandalay Bay’s conference center, the broadband signal was sent from the top of the Stratosphere, allowing live video from 12 miles into the desert, a nearby golf course, and an Elvis impersonator from a mobile home cruising down the Vegas Strip.

Although high desert winds caused some breakups in audio, the feed achieved speeds of 7 megabits a second. By comparison, AOL broadband usually runs at a maximum of 2 megabits.

Intel Mobility Group executive vice president and general manager Sean Maloney was enthusiastic about the implications of this applied technology.

“By using WiMax to help deliver high-quality video from a golf course to a golf pro, the pro could in turn provide real-time advice on how to improve a golfer’s form,” he said.
Still under development, Intel expect WiMax chips to be available in laptops soon.