MediaTek Estimated to Take Over WiMAX Crown Amid Intel's Exit

Taipei, July 26, 2010 (CENS)--Industry executives estimated MediaTek Inc. would likely become the world's No.1 supplier of WiMAX chips in the second half of 2011 thanks to the unmatched strength of Taiwan's networking-communications equipment industry, which has filled 80-90% of the world demands.

The projections arise at a time when Intel Corp., the foremost engineer behind WiMAX trend, exits the market because of low acceptance of its embedded WiMAX modules for laptops. Industry executives felt MediaTek would likely fill up the vacancy left by Intel in WiMAX.

Taiwan has developed complete supply chains for WiMAX products including chips, base stations, end-user equipment, network cards, smart phones and laptops.

MediaTek is currently the only Taiwanese chip design house to branch into the WiMAX chip sector. The company's executives estimated its shipments of the chips would double this year from last year's level although they stressed the chips would account for insignificant portion of the company's sales this year.

Networking-communications equipment is the major application for WiMAX chips. MediaTek executives said the company's WiMAX chips have gone into end-user equipment, receivers, and smartphones. Recently, the company has introduced embedded WiMAX modules for laptops and mobile Internet devices.

The company's WiMAX buyers include Green Packet Inc. of Malaysia as well as GemTek Technology Co., Ltd. and Quanta Microsystems Inc. Its embedded modules are being tests at some name suppliers of PCs.