The times they are a-changin': Stratford-on-Avon is where the Old Bard wrote and staged his plays, but now it is the location of Airspan's facilities, where during the past few weeks Pipex was testing its WiMAX solution. The tests were successful and the company is set to offer its WiMAX services in three U.K. locations. Pipex is already in discussion with the authorities in these locations.

Graham Currier, Pipex's project coordinator, said the the tests showed that it was possible what he called "a small-scale metro zone," which is a hot zone on a larger scale. The trials in the three cities with which Pipex is negotiating will be conducted in the 3.6 GHz band and will start this fall. Commercial deployment will follow in mid-2007.

Note that Urban WiMAX will likely be the first to deploy commercial WiMAX in the U.K., as it plans for a Westminster rollout by the end of this year.

For more on Pipex's trials:
- read David Meyer's ZDNet UK report
For more on Urban WiMAX deployment:
- see Urban WiMAX Web site

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