Even in a downturn, wireless broadband grows

It's getting to where a guy can't leave the house without getting some wireless broadband reception.

In Southeast Asia, that is.

Broadband Internet penetration in Malaysia -- 21.1 percent of households at the end of 2008 -- lags other Asian countries, such as Singapore and South Korea. But the Malaysian government wants to see that figure increase to 50 percent by the end of 2010.

Whether WiMax plays an important role in extending the reach of broadband Internet services remains to be seen.

WiMax will have to compete for wireless broadband market share with Malaysian cellular operators, offering Internet access over their 3G networks, market research firm IDC said in a report issued earlier this month. WiMax is hampered by limited coverage in Malaysia and established cellular operators will move aggressively to defend their market position from new entrants, it said.