Intel Corp's global investment organization, Intel Capital, has made a $43-million investment in the Japan-based WiMax mobile services' provider - UQ Communications. The funding will be used by UQ for persisting with its UQ WiMax service expansion endeavors countrywide, thereby attempting to fulfill its commitment of making WiMax coverage available to 90 percent of the country by 2012.

The Intel Capital investment in UQ Communications will enable the company to build-out its network, which is currently being tested in Tokyo, and is due for a July 1. The service, which offers 40Mbps download speed and 10Mbps upload speed, is presently available in Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama, with ongoing plans of covering more cities later this year.

About its investment move in UQ, Arvind Sodhani - Intel Capital's President and Intel's Executive VP - said: "Intel Capital's investment in UQ Communications is one of our most significant commitments in developing the WiMax ecosystem around the globe. UQ's WiMax deployment in Japan is a spectacular example of technology innovation being put to work."

Intel has played a notable role in the proliferation of the WiMax global standard, and has backed UQ ever since it applied to the Japanese government for the services' launch. The other key UQ backers include Japan's second-ranking cellular carrier KDDI; Japan's major Eastern railway operator JR East; and Tokyo Mitsubishi Bank.