Business

Saturday July 4, 2009

Intel unit keen on WiMAX sector in Asia Pacific

By SHANNEN WONG and STEVEN PATRICK


KUALA LUMPUR: Intel Capital, a subsidiary of chipmaking giant Intel, is actively seeking to invest in the WiMAX sector in the Asia-Pacific region, said managing director (India, Japan, Australasia and South-East Asia) Sudheer K Kuppam.

The technology sector had not taken off in a big way yet in the region but Intel Capital saw big potential for growth in the sector, he said.

“Technology is being diffused in tandem with the growing economy. This would cause more local entrepreneurs to start newer businesses in this region, especially in China and India,” he told StarBizWeek at the sidelines of TiE Asia Pacific Conference 2009.

“One thing that is paramount for us now is to seek investments in WiMAX services in most of the countries (in this region), so that we can get WiMAX services to roll out, particularly in Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines,” Sudheer said.

Intel Capital has invested RM50mil in Green Packet Bhd to kick-start Malaysia’s first mobile WiMAX network, which is also its first WiMAX investment in South-East Asia.

To date, the company, which started its WiMAX investments in 2005, has invested about US$2.2bil in WiMAX in over 20 companies, of which US$150mil are in the Asia-Pacific region.

The group’s active portfolio amounted to US$3bil to US$4bil in 425 companies worldwide.

In Asia Pacific, India and China are its biggest investment markets.

“We are every flexible. Typically, we take minority position with less than 20% ownership.

“Depending on the funding requirements, we try to mix and match the uptakes and their requirements,” Sudheer said.

Intel Capital does not foresee investing in another WiMAX technology company in Malaysia besides Green Packet.

“We want Green Packet to be extremely successful in Malaysia and hope they can capture the whole Malaysian market consisting of about 6,000 households,” Sudheer said.

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