A group of companies have banded together to launch the WiMAX 2 Collaboration Initiative (WCI) in order to speed up the interoperability and deployment of WiMAX 2 systems.

The next generation of WiMAX technology boasts peak rates of more than 300 Mbps.

The roster of companies behind the new consortium include Alvarion, Beceem, GCT Semiconductor, Intel, Motorola, Samsung, Sequans, XRONet, ITRI and ZTE.

WiMAX 2, based on the IEEE 802.16m standard set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), offers much faster mobile data communications speeds, much lower latency and vastly increased VoIP capacity. Current mobile WiMAX services are based on IEEE 802.16e.

The news of a newer, faster WiMAX standard could help draw operators to the 4G technology, which has not been as popular with legacy operators as LTE despite coming to market sooner.

According to the EE Times, the consortium will set milestones and delivery schedules over the next three to six months, with the end goal of supporting the WiMAX Forum’s readiness to certify commercial products by late next year.

The consortium was announced today at the WiMAX Forum Congress Asia in Taipei, Taiwan.

– Wireless Week’s Maisie Ramsay contributed to this report