Venture Capital Firms

Japanese WiMAX Service Provider, UQ Communications Receives $43 Million in Funding Round from Intel Capital

Japan’s leading WiMAX service provider,UQ Communications announced that it received $43 million in funding round from Intel Capital with a commitment to have Japan 90% covered with the WiMAX network by 2012. UQ communications is one of Japan’s leading wireless providers, and it is the only telecommunications company that provides nationwide telecommunications service based on the WiMAX system, which is a global standard for wireless communication. The company believes that the WiMAX is a good standard in the latest wireless telecommunications technology and its goal is to have a good part of Japan covered with this new social communication infrastructure. Furthermore, the people at UQ Communications have the goal to establish such an effective network that can generate new markets and create new business value, by improving the way people can communicate on the Japanese Islands.

According to Arvind Sodhani, President of Intel Capital, this latest investment in UQ Communication is one of the latest commitments of Intel Capital in establishing the new WiMAX network worldwide. Furthermore, the fact that UQ Communications is deploying the new WiMAX network in Japan is an excellent example of how companies can work together and innovate technology that will improve the quality of life of the people using the new technology.

According to Takashi Tanaka, CEO of UQ Communications, the company is very happy to have this investment from Intel Capital. The company is happy to have Intel on board to help it establish a WiMAX network in Japan.

One of Intel’s main goals is to establish the WiMAX system as a global standard and has invested in companies throughout the world that are working to deploy the WiMAX system within their respective countries. Intel has also worked closely with computer and electronic device manufacturers to install the WiMAX communication chips in their new product models in order to proliferate the new technology globally.

WiMAX is the latest in wireless broadband technology that is to be established in urban areas. The WiMAX signal is strong and can be reached as far as 30 miles away from its source. This is a much better alternative to the current WiFi networks that have a very weak range of a maximum 300 to 500 feet away from its source transmission. WiMAX will work the same way as the traditional WiFi connection, the only difference is that it is the next generation of WiFi, providing a stronger signal and a more reliable connection than that provided by traditional WiFi.

Intel Capital is the vc arm of the Intel Corporation and invests in tech companies that have an interest for Intel and proliferate Intel’s technologies. The main criteria for receiving an investment from Intel Capital is that the company must be successful and profitable for Intel and promote Intel’s technology, either by being an Intel systems provider or incorporating Intel technology into its products. Intel Capital has been around since 1991 and has made more than $9 billion in investments in over 1000 companies in 46 countries. Some companies in Intel Capital’s portfolio include 3Leaf Systems, Inc., Acertify, Adaptive Mobile Security, Ltd., Advanced Inquiry Systems, and others.

For more information about UQ Communications, click here.

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