US : Samsung Electronics is set to demonstrate its Mobile WiMAX technology and new products at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which starts today.

While Samsung had previously showcased its Mobile WiMAX technology at several events, the demonstration at CES is significant because it is the first showcase in the US since Samsung and Sprint-Nextel agreed last August to work together on the major US carrier's 4G wireless broadband initiative, which will adopt the Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e TDD OFDMA) technology standard.

Sprint's partners in its 4G wireless broadband initiative -- Samsung, Intel and Motorola, will conduct live demonstrations of Mobile WiMAX through live video conferencing between their booths. Applications such as the push-to-all technology will also be demonstrated. In addition, Samsung's new Mobile WiMAX devices, the SPH-P9000 and the M8100 will be used at the demonstration, allowing visitors to personally experience Mobile WiMAX technology. The SPH-P9000 is a true Mobile WiMAX convergence device, which enables wireless broadband access and voice communications, while the M8100 is the first commercially available Mobile WiMAX PDA device.

A pioneer in Mobile WiMAX technology, Samsung has been conducting numerous trials with various partners in North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Currently, seven trials are underway, with more planned in this year. Periodic demonstrations have also been conducted. At the annual Samsung 4G Forum in August 2006, a successful demonstration illustrated Mobile WiMAX's performance and proved that it can indeed be migrated to 4G. Data transmission speeds of 100Mbps were achieved on a moving bus and speeds of 3.5Gbps were achieved under stationary conditions.

The technology has already been commercialized in South Korea since May 2006, and Samsung now provides Mobile WiMAX network solutions to various service providers in North and South America, and Asia. The SPH-P9000 and SPH-M8100 will be launched in South Korea in the first half of 2007. No plans have been made for their introduction in the US.

About the SPH-P9000
The SPH-P9000 is an UMPC-like convergence device capable of providing voice and multimedia data communications through Mobile WiMAX technology. Hailed by early reviewers as the "ultimate convergence machine", it combines Windows XP, a large 30GB hard disk, 256MB RAM, a 1GHz CPU, WiMAX, CDMA EV-DO, and a 1.3megapixel camera into a compact 5.6" X 3.7" X 1.17" size with a 5" display and weighing only 1.28lb. The SPH-P9000 comes with a full QWERTY keyboard for quick and painless typing and surfing, while the MP3 player, VOD, and camera functions provide easy access to a myriad of multimedia entertainment. In all, the SPH-P9000 will offer users a perfect device that marries work and play.

SPH-P9000 Specifications

About the SPH-M8100
The SPH-M8100 is the world's first Mobile WiMAX PDA phone. It allows users to conduct video conferences and stream television content via T-DMB, amongst other high-speed data services. The slider phone possesses a 2.8", 65k color touchscreen display, a TV-out, an MMC card slot, and uniquely, 2 cameras: a 2megapixel still camera, and a VGA unit for video calls. The SPH-M8100 also features Bluetooth with A2DP, a 128ROM/64MB RAM memory, and the Microsoft view and edit function.