Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Korea based leading telecom systems and mobile phone provider, and TVA Sistema de Televisao S.A, an innovative communication service provider in Brazil, signed a contract on Wednesday (November 1st, 2006) to commercialize Mobile WiMAX platform in the city of Curitiba, Brazil.TVA plans to commercialize Mobile WiMAX services in Curitiba first, Parana State in south of Brazil, from 1st half of 2007. Access will be extended to other Brazilian cities over next years.According to the contract, Samsung will supply base stations and other system hardware and Mobile WiMAX modems initially and in the near future provide PCMCIA cards and terminals for service portability.
Samsung has already begun to deploy this Mobile WiMAX platform in Venezuela and will bring this platform to Brazil, Latin America’s largest market. Mobile WiMAX platform offers wireless high-speed data communications on the move complying with IEEE 802.16e standard. In addition to mobility and portability, WiMAX platform also brings low cost data transmission to the Brazilian users. Kwansoo Lee, Executive Vice President of Telecommunication Systems Division, Samsung Electronics explained significance of the partnership. “Samsung is very excited for the debut of our next generation technology in Latin America. TVA’s initiative to bring Mobile WiMAX commercial is an important step to the globalization of this newest technology.” Mobile WiMAX service had been launched in Korean market in May 2006 and is expanding to other worldwide markets. Samsung is now supplying equipment and is supporting to commercialize the technology in Europe (the UK, Italy and Croatia), North America (the U.S.), South America (Venezuela and now Brazil) and Asia (Japan). From next year, many people around the world will be able to access Mobile WiMAX services.
