(From left) Union communications minister Dayanidhi Maran, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi and Alcatel chairman and CEO Serge Tchuruk in Chennai on Friday. (PTI)

Chennai, Sept. 9: Alcatel, the French telecom company, and the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) have jointly set up a 40-million euro R&D centre on WiMAX technology here. Alcatel will hold a 51 per cent stake and C-DoT 49 per cent, said Union communications minister Dayanidhi Maran.

The WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) technology will help take broadband connectivity to remote Indian villages, which cannot be reached by cable modems, he said.

Inaugurating the centre, DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi said the WiMAX technology would help the government deliver e-governance, tele-education, tele-health and e-information to remote areas.

Alcatel chairman and CEO Serge Tchuruk and Telecom Commission chairman J. S. Sharma were also present on the occasion.

Tchuruk said, in the initial phase, the R&D centre would employ 300 senior professionals, including several from the C-DOT. It will also develop sophisticated software.

Globally, the centre is Alcatel?s fourth most important research laboratory after Europe, Canada and China, the CEO added. ?India is a strategic market for Alcatel and one of the other thrust areas will be software development activities.?

The government has sanctioned Rs 3,300 crore for implementing e-governance, Maran said.

The fund is to help states implement the statewide area network (SWAN) for e-governance.

The SWAN will enable the government deliver a wide range of services to people, including issuing certificates electronically.

The first technology developed by the facility would be out in a year?s time from now, Tchuruk said.

The research would focus on fast developing WiMAX 801 16 E technology, he said, adding that thrust would be on consumer premises equipment like modems and mobile phones.