dailywireless.org 経由ですが、EE Times によると、IEEE は 802.20 の標準化作業を一時停止した様子。
dailywireless.org - IEEE Suspends 802.20 Deliberations
Updated: IEEE 802.20 working group declares 'cooling off' period
In an unprecedented move, the IEEE's SA Standards Board has temporarily suspended deliberations by the 802.20 working group on mobile broadband wireless technology.The decision comes after representatives from Intel Corp. and Motorola Inc. threatened to file formal complaints about the way the working group's chairman, Jerry Upton, allegedly handled draft proposals in favor of Qualcomm Inc. and Kyocera Inc.
Upton referred all press inquiries to Steve Mills, chairman of the standards board. In an email, Mills said that Upton had confirmed to the IEEE that he did indeed have a relationship with Qualcomm. As for reports that Qualcomm had earlier brought in several people to meetings in order to form a majority, Mills said that the board "is not disclosing the details of its investigation at this time."
In general, Mills observed, independent consultants are invited to participate in 802 meetings, "within the spirit and intent" of the standards development process.
The suspension is effective from Thursday (June 15) to Oct. 1, resulting in the cancellation of an 802.20 plenary meeting in July and an interim meeting in September.
In a statement, the IEEE said the suspension will "give the Standards Board time to consider the pending appeals [and possible additional actions independent of the appeals]."
802.20 ワーキンググループの議長である Jerry Upton 氏が、Qualcomm と何らかのつながりがあることが疑われており、調査するための期間として、標準化作業を一時停止した模様。一時停止の期間は 6/15 から 10/1 まで。
EETimes 記事の後半では、
The 802.20 group has been under a cloud for the last three years as Qualcomm reportedly made at least three efforts to influence the voting process on standards and torpedo a proposal for an orthogonal frequency-division modulaton-based standard by Flarion Inc. This process culminated last August in Qualcomm's acquisition of Flarion for $600 million.Since then, several working group members have alleged that Upton, though listed as an "independent consultant," has been paid by Qualcomm. During the last three 802 general meetings, IEEE's LAN/MAN group board has tried to tighten rules for independent consultants attending meetings as a way to avoid similar problems in the future.
と「独立コンサルタント」として議長に就任している Upton 氏が Qualcomm から給与の支払いを受けていたのでは、という疑惑があるとしている。
802.20 は、移動体通信技術（というか CDMA）の雄である Qualcomm が MediaFLO とともに現在推進中の技術で、今回の騒ぎの発端となった Intel が推す 802.16e (モバイル WiMAX) の対抗勢力。ワーキングループがどのように再開されるか、今後も注目が必要かと。
コメント (2)
UptonがQ社のコンサルだってことは802.20出席者の間じゃ常識以前の事実だったと聞いています。。この件はI社の戦略の一環なのかしら。とはいったものの、AIRのキャンセルやらホテルのキャンセルにかなりの手間とられてました。（平社員の海外出張は稟議事項だもんね。）
投稿者: sk | 日時: 2006年06月22日 09:09
> 常識以前の事実だった
ということなら、この件はタイミングに意味があるのかもしれません。WiMAX Forum での Certification も秋頃に始まるようなので、夏から秋にかけて Intel はプロモーションをがっつり、ということかしら……
> 平社員の海外出張は稟議事項
確かにそうですね。直前でキャンセルって、つらいですねえ。
投稿者: ayustety | 日時: 2006年06月22日 13:10