The company said that it will launch the service in Athens, Georgia in August. The company will use pre-WiMAX equipment from Navini Networks, the vendor said in a statement.

"BellSouth's latest wireless broadband initiative is the next logical step after a technical trial," Keith Cowan, BellSouth's president of marketing and product management, said in a statement. "As BellSouth's focus continues its shift to broadband and wireless, we are excited about the potential of wireless broadband as an alternative high-speed Internet solution."

BellSouth, which also is a provider of wired broadband access, said that it looks at wireless broadband as a way to fill in service gaps both within urban areas and in rural areas.

BellSouth has been in technical trials with the Navini equipment in two Florida cities. It provided no details about whether it plans to offer the service in other areas.