24,000 Hotspots Verified for Compatibility with Intel? Centrino? Mobile Technology


ITU TELECOM WORLD, GENEVA, Oct. 10, 2003 - At the ITU Telecom World tradeshow here this week, Intel Corporation outlined progress toward its vision of a world where ubiquitous wireless connectivity to the Internet redefines how people work, play and live.

Demonstrating this progress, the company said its Intel? Centrino? mobile technology is one of its fastest ramping microprocessor technologies ever. Intel has also helped simplify the process of connecting wirelessly to the Internet through its Wireless Verification Program, which is designed to verify the compatibility of Intel Centrino mobile technology-based systems with wireless hotspots. That program to-date includes more than 80 service providers, and has verified more than 24,000 wireless hotspots worldwide - double Intel's initial projections.

"About a billion people are likely to get connected to the Internet using current technologies," said Sean Maloney, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Intel Communications Group. "The challenge is the next 5 billion - the current Internet 'have-nots.' That's where the recent broadband wireless technologies are going to play a critical role. There is no way the problems of healthcare and education can be addressed globally without reaching these 5 billion people. The twin technologies of Wi-Fi and WiMAX are going to transform the communications industry over the next decade. They give us a chance of connecting the rest of the planet."

Intel is featuring a broad range of products, technologies and initiatives at ITU Telecom World that are helping to accelerate the adoption of wireless communication and computing, including building blocks for enabling powerful wireless devices from notebooks to cellular phones and PDAs; new telecommunications boards based on the Advanced TCA* form factor specification that speed the development and lower the cost of wireless infrastructure equipment; and broadband wireless technology based on the IEEE 802.16a, or WiMAX*, industry standard.

Demonstrations of Intel communications products and technologies can be seen at the Intel booth at ITU Telecom World, booth number 4111 in Hall 4 of the Geneva Palexpo.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.intel.com/pressroom.

Source: Intel