Taipei, Aug. 6, 2008 (CENS)--Taiwanese networking-communications equipment suppliers are expected to see fortune from the recent allying of Nortel Networks Corp. with Alvarion Ltd. as Alvarion has set up business ties with the Taiwanese manufacturers.

Over the past years, Alvarion, a globally leading supplier of WiMAX and non-WiMAX wireless broadband systems to telecom carriers, has maintained a joint venture with Accton Technology Corp. to produce WiMAX-based consumer electronics, and has worked with Accton Technology and Quanta Microsystems on consumer-premise networking equipment (CPE).

Nortel`s general manger for WiMAX operation, Scott Wickware, recently visited Taiwan`s WiMAX telecom providers to strive for their orders for his company`s equipment. He pointed out that global WiMAX market was slow to start and would need some time to catalyze just like 3G market. However, he said the development prospect of the market would be promising, likely generating revenue totaling US$1 billion worldwide this year and US$3 billion in 2010.

Nortel has opened a test laboratory for WiMAX equipment in Taiwan. The island`s major suppliers of networking-communications products like Quanta Computer, Acer, D-Link, Zyxel, and Accton have had their consumer-end products built with WiMAX modules tested at the lab. They are due to make their products available at international telecom carriers by way of Nortel, which is a leading supplier of equipment to telecom carriers in the world.

Taiwan`s networking-communications equipment suppliers have already snatched up a dominant share of global market for networking CPE and are expected to take larger share as WiMAX service begins to make enough inroads with consumers in emerging economies like Russia, mainland China and Turkey.

(by Ken Liu)