New Delhi: WiMax users are expected to go up to 27.5 million by 2012 bringing about a significant improvement in India's broadband usage as predicted by industry body, WiMax Forum. About 20 percent of the global WiMax users will be in India in the next four years, facilitating it to be a $13 billion market.

The technology platform, which supports broadcast applications will allow subscribers to access high-speed internet on wireless devices such as mobile handsets and laptops. It will also be productive in providing consumers to make telephone calls using the Internet Protocol, reported Business Line.

A WiMax lab at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi is in the making, announced WiMax Forum. Similar labs are also functioning in Taiwan and the U.S. IIT Delhi has a functioning WiMax test bed and will focus on enhancing the quality of experience and community services for under-served areas.

C.S. Rao, Chairman, WiMax Forum, India Chapter said, "Any service provider with innovative service offerings, attractive devices and go-to-market plans that maximize the utility offered by WiMAX technology to price-sensitive Indian customers can use this ready and proven technology to quickly gain market share."