ISP rolls out personal wireless internet services

Pipex has unveiled plans to roll out its wireless services and WiMax infrastructure across the UK.

The ISP's Freedom4 service, part of a joint venture with Intel, promises a wireless broadband service that requires no fixed line.

Freedom4 has been given a national licence to deploy WiMax services in the 3.6GHz band, and will work with businesses and local authorities to build the necessary infrastructure to provide broadband wireless internet access across the UK.

Customers will be able to access the service from any WiMax zone, with symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to 8Mbps.

"WiMax is an exciting technology, requiring a new approach to broadband delivery, so the time is right to launch our services with a fresh brand," said Mike Read, chief executive of Freedom4.

"We look forward to the next stage as our services are rolled out in Milton Keynes, Warwick, Manchester and other parts of the UK."

The announcement follows successful trial deployments in Milton Keynes and Warwick earlier this year.

The service is aimed predominately at enterprises with lots of mobile workers, and SMEs which require the flexibility and mobility that WiMax can provide.

Freedom4 said that the service will also be well suited to 'prosumers' who require second line access for multiple user families, and movers and renters who do not need a fixed connection.

Over half of those customers who took part in the trials saw the most benefit in the ease of connection and fast speed, while 20 per cent were most impressed by the fully wireless nature of WiMax.