Company introduces chip for long-range wireless Internet

Monday, April 18, 2005 | 9:30 a.m.

The Intel Corp. announced today that it has begun selling a computer chip designed to pick up long-range high-speed wireless Internet signals.

The chip is designed to be built into modems, enabling them to pick up so-called WiMax transmissions, which can carry data traffic over more than 20 miles. The technology is seen as both complement and successor to Wi-Fi transmissions, which send data over shorter distances.

Industry analysts said Intel's move may jump-start the commercial adoption of WiMax. It is a technology that the analysts say has some obstacles to overcome but could eventually rival cable modems and DSL as a solution for bringing high-speed Internet access into homes and small businesses.

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