IBM has joined the WiMax Forum, an industry organisation that promotes the upcoming wireless standard. 

WiMax is designed to deliver high-speed wireless internet access over a wide range, and operators expect the technology to provide internet connections in metropolitan areas as a replacement for DSL and cable broadband.

The technology is also expected to bring internet connections to rural areas where constructing wired networks is not economically viable.

IBM is hoping to sell consultancy services to operators, assisting in the transition from switched environments to IP-based networks.

"We want to continue to support WiMax as it evolves and becomes more established in the marketplace," said Don Lopes, vice president of IBM's Global Services for the telecoms industry.

The WiMax Forum was initially promoted by Intel, but has since gathered a series of high profile supporters including Lucent, LG and Huawei.

Intel expects that WiMax will replace Wi-Fi over time. The chipmaker unveiled its first combined Wi-Fi and WiMax baseband chipset last year for use in notebook computers.