Chipmaker Fujitsu prepares WiMax chip

Fujitsu Microelectronics America announced Tuesday that it is preparing a single chip WiMax compliant part for use in wireless broadband gear. Carriers and service providers are expected to be the initial customers of that gear. Fujitsu expects to launch the chips in early 2005, putting it on a similar schedule as Intel, another major supporter of WiMax technology.

Products must be interoperable with other products based on the 802.16-2004 standard to be certified as WiMax compliant by an industry group called the WiMax Forum. The standard allows data to be sent and received wirelessly at transfer rates of up to 75 megabits per second over a distance of up to 30 miles.