Intel has partnered with Indian operator BSNL on the deployment of WiMAX in the country, a move analysts believe will accelerate rollout and could make India the most promising market for the technology. EETimes reports that Intel and the state-owned operator are teaming up to market and develop the technology as BSNL readies the launch of WiMAX in the western Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat by the end of 2008. Meanwhile, Intel has also invested a reported US$3 million in startup Aicent, which competes in the WiMAX market.

In other WiMAX news, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse told the 24/7 Wall Street blog that Sprint is on target to cover a potential 15 million subscribers with its XOHM network by the end of the year. In Russia, operator Scartel has launched trials of mobile WiMAX technology in Moscow and St Petersburg in conjunction with South Korean equipment vendor Samsung. The two companies plan to deploy up to 1,600 access points by early 2009, by which time the two city networks are expected to be ready to go commercially live. In Saudi Arabia, Mobily has launched WiMAX services for residential users including a free installation and download speeds of up to 2 Mb/s, whilst Cellular News reports that Taiwanese WiMAX operator First International Telecom (Fitel) is in financial trouble.