Apr. 23, 2008 (China Knowledge) - Intel Corp, the world leading chip maker, will invest US$500 million in Taiwan over the next five years for the development of WiMax technology and related products, said Lil Mohan, managing director of Intel's WiMax program.

Intel expects WiMax to be commercially deployed in the U.S. market in the second or third quarter this year, and that infrastructure in Asia should be ready by 2009-2010, added the program manager. He also estimated that Japan might be the first to launch the WiMax service in the region and Taiwan and India could follow suit.

Authorities of the island said last year that it plans to spend US$664 million in the next few years on the WiMax technology.

WiMax, the worldwide interoperability for microwave access, is a telecommunications technology aimed at providing wireless data over long distances.

Currently, wireless and WiMax technology product makers in Taiwan include D-Link, ZyXEL and Gemtek Technology.