Alvarion today announced it started development of a mobile broadband wireless line based upon the 802.16e-based WiMax Mobile standard and has set a target of 2006 to launch its first product.

Though neither 802.16e nor WiMax Mobile have received final approval from the IEEE or WiMax Forum, Alvarion is anticipating the final specifications to emerge in the next year as well as the core silicon baseband technology being developed by Intel. Alvarion closed its acquisition of InterWave, a compact mobile base station vendor, the technology of which Alvarion plans to incorporate into its 802.16e gear.

"Mobile broadband is a huge market opportunity for the whole telecom industry, and we have taken several high-profile actions to ensure we extend our leadership in fixed broadband wireless solutions into that space," Alvarion CEO Zvi Slonimsky said in a statement.

While looking toward the future of WiMax, Alvarion is still focused on the current generation of products. Last year, the specifications for 802.16d and the WiMax fixed wireless were approved. While Alvarion released a pre-certified version of that gear, it is now waiting for the final silicon from Intel to arrive to release its first WiMax-certified system. Vendors are anticipating having their equipment commercially available by the second half of the year.

For the 802.16e project, Alvarion is setting up a special unit to focus on the mobile technology, led by seven-year Alvarion veteran and former head of R&D Zvika Harnik.