DUSHANBE, August 23, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s Internet-provider Babilon-T has launched Mobile WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) in a test regime.

Tajik Internet-provider is the first in Central Asia to launch this latest telecommunications technology, the Babilon-T press service said.  

WiMAX, the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a telecommunications technology aimed at providing wireless data over long distances in a variety of ways, from point-to-point links to full mobile cellular type access. It is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, which is also called WirelessMAN.  WiMAX allows a user, for example, to browse the Internet on a laptop computer without physically connecting the laptop to a wall jack. 

The name WiMAX was created by the WiMAX Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote conformance and interoperability of the standard.  The forum describes WiMAX as "a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of  last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL."