Telmex Launches WiMax Service

The Chilean unit of Mexican fixed line giant Telmex has commercially launched its WiMax network in 15 towns and cities, the company said in a statement.

The network complies with the IEEE 802.16e-2005 standard for fixed, nomadic and mobile usage in the 3.5GHz frequency band using French equipment provider Alcatel-Lucent's (NYSE: ALU) 9100 WiMax end-to-end solution.

The network requires investment of US$15mn, BNamericas previously reported.

The company is targeting SMEs with the service, which will include fixed wireless telephony and broadband connectivity.

"The WiMax technology that we're offering today means an immediate impact in the development of the country's telecommunications [services]," Telmex Chile's general manager Eduardo Díaz Corona said in the statement.

Telmex said it will expand the service to five more cities in coming weeks and by the end of 2007 expects to have covered 91% of Chile's municipalities. The service starts at 19,900 pesos (US$37.12) monthly."

Posted to the site on 22nd March 2007