TAIPEI – VMAX Telecom has taken Internet cafes to a higher plain with quantum-leaping 4G WiMax technology by putting them on wheels.

The company has put Taiwan on the map with the world’s first 4G VMAX service built in taxis. The creative, unprecedented VMAX Mobile “Internet Cafes” are installed with touch-screen MIDS to provide high- speed Internet access, Web TV, local information, mobile games, and geographic position system services.

Infotech and another Philippines broadsheet reporter represented Manila media in witnessing the deployment of initially 100 of 1,000 taxis with the VMAX Mobile Internet Café platform as a value-added service to help draw more customers to taxi drivers.

Teddy Huang, President and CEO, VMAX Telecom Co. Ltd., said passengers of these cabs can have an enjoyable taxi ride by watching movies, checking daily information or playing games free of charge.
By next month, a new user-interface will be introduced whereby the services will include e-coupons download and new games such as One Arm Bandit and Dice.

Passengers can also accumulate bonus points using the service.

The project is part of North Taiwan WiMax operator VMAX’s vision to make Taipei as a world-leading 4G WiMAX technology city of the present era.

Through the 4G WiMAX technology, VMAX Telecom, a joint ventured by Tecom, Vibo Telecom, Intel Capital, and Teco Group, expects to improve the living quality and work efficiency of Taiwan citizen by using high bandwidth, high speed, and real-time Internet access.

“High-speed broadband connectivity has become vital in our daily lives to meet the increasing demand for Internet access. VMAX Telecom believes that 4G WiMAX service will set the milestone for a new era,” said C.K. Liu, Chairman, Teco Electric and Machinery Co., Ltd. “Thus as soon as we acquired the 4G WiMAX license, VMAX Telecom has been committed to the construction of its first service service in Taipei with our own technical expertise and the full support of Intel. We expect people’s broadband wireless usage patterns to change. Taipei will soon become a technology city as 4G WiMAX proliferates.”

The VMAX commercial availability ushers in a strong line-up of WiMAX-enabled devices, with major OEMs including Acer and Asus introducing Intel-based laptops featuring the multi-mode Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 embedded solution, certified and ready for use on the network.

This support represents an important step forward in delivering broadband wireless connectivity in Taiwan via in-built WiMAX.

“WiMAX makes 4G wireless connectivity possible today. Intel congratulates VMAX on the deployment of its first commercial WiMAX service,“ said Navin Shenoy, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Group and General Manager, Intel Asia Pacific. “We believe today’s announcement is an important milestone that will accelerate the availability of laptops and other mobile devices with in-built WiMAX in other markets around Asia Pacific and globally.”

He continued, “We expect momentum to continue in APAC throughout 2010 as WiMAX reaches mass market and additional laptops, netbooks and other mobile devices with built-in WiMAX come to market.”

At a press briefing, Navin underscored that 4G WiMAX “is not just one more technology coming up, but a revolution for the mobile industry.”

He added that WiMAX is a game-changing 4G mobile broadband solution. It provides a quantum jump in speed and user experience.