WiMax Patent Pool Envisioned By Intel, Others

June 9, 2008 1:11 p.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - Intel, Cisco and four other companies plan to announce a new organization aimed at restraining the price of WiMax patents in an effort to prevent adoption of the faster and longer-range wireless technology.

Along with Intel, which is a strong backer of WiMax, and networking giant Cisco, members of the Open Patent Alliance include Sprint Nextel, Clearwire, Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung Electronics, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Sprint and Clearwire recently announced plans to create a nationwide wireless network based on WiMax.

By creating a pool of WiMax patent hope to offer one licensing price, rather than require companies go to multiple patent-holders, such as in third-generation cellular patents held by Qualcomm, Nokia and L.M. Ericsson.

The group is expected to be announced Monday.