Several Italian operators have bought Alvarion's WiMax-ready platform, BreezeMAX 3500, to conduct WiMax trials in different regions of Italy. Pilot systems are now in operation in Milan, Rome, Arezzo, Piedmont, Val d'Aosta, Sardinia, Abruzzo, Sicily and Parma. The trials will be completed by the end of this year. The Italian government has selected the Ugo Bordoni Foundation to conduct WiMax field tests across Italy, and the foundation is responsible for handling the pilot projects and for selecting the proposals.

BreezeMAX was designed to comply with the 802.16-2004 standard using OFDM technology for non-line-of-sight transmission. BreezeMAX was launched close to a year-and-a-half ago and has since been deployed in more than 100 different installations more than 30 countries. Alvarion also boasts the first commercially available WiMax CPE using the Intel PRO/Wireless 5116 WiMAX chip.

For more on Alvarion's Italian trials:
- see this press release

ALSO: Alvarion won two important prizes for its WiMax technology: World Communications Awards gave the company the title of "Best Technology Foresight" and the company also won the Infovision Award at the IEC Broadband World Forum. Release

PLUS: Wireline operators are showing more interest in WiMax. DSL player Covad has acquired California broadband wireless operator NextWeb for $24.7 million. Report

FINALLY: Tropos, BelAir, and Strix have their own WiMax plans. Discussion