The market for WiMAX chipsets will reach almost $500 million by 2012, driven mainly by embedded mobile WiMAX in mobile personal computers, according to new research from high-tech research firm In-Stat.

The market will also benefit from demand for WiMAX customer premises equipment, external clients and dual-mode cellular/WiMAX handsets, said In-Stat.

“The total WiMAX user terminal chipset market will reach almost $500 million in 2012, growing from $27 million in 2007,” said Gemma Tedesco, In-Stat analyst. “Furthermore, WiMAX base station semiconductor revenues are expected to be approximately $1.4 billion in 2012, compared to $130 million in 2007.”