What you need to Know About WiMAX

Even though internet is relatively new, it has already gone through some phenomenal changes. Two of the biggest revolutions in the area have been mobile connectivity and broadband.

Broadband has already reached a saturation level in the US and the other countries are also not far behind. The popularity of cell phones on the other hand has also led to an increase in demand for devices providing internet access and other mobile applications. The demand for broadband and mobility has now merged.

This convergence had been addressed by WiMAX by providing access to broadband access while on the go and holding the potential to bring in a new era for smartphones which allowed them to access their connected desktop from anywhere.

For ordinary broadband connects, WiMAX brings in some big changes like connecting their notebook automatically to the nearest WiMAX station.

The ordinary cell phones which can be seen today are nothing less than smartphones and hence WiMAX had been inevitable. Users of smartphones are very technology savvy and tend to be very heavy users of internet and for that reason they only want broadband connections on their phones to access their email and surf their favorite websites.

What is WiMAX?

WiMAX basically is a standard for broadband wireless for metro area networks for providing their services up to 30 miles for the fixed stations and up to 10 miles for the mobile stations.

This coverage is much more than any other wireless service and there are several different variations of WiMAX already which provide portable, fixed and mobile connectivity.

This standard addresses issues like interference which is quite common with Wi-Fi and also has a network which is more efficient.

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Also, WiMAX can be used to provide last mile connectivity at office or home which eliminates the need for any costly cable. With the help of WiMAX the consumers can get advantage of connectivity from any location at all. When users install a WiMAX card on their laptop they would be able to use internet from anywhere at all. Also, WiMAX can be sued in smartphones, automobiles and any other type of consumer device.

It is because of this versatility that there is great potential for WiMAX and threat to the other DSL and mainstream broadband providers. Since WiMAX can accommodate VoIP, any smartphone or notebook which is WiMAX enabled would be able to provide VoIP services.

WiMAX provides a complete new telecommunications category to users. The chips of WiMAX in digital cameras can allow users to automatically upload the photographs to any photo printing service. It would still take a long time to embed WiMAX in consumer devices which normally don’t use it but it is still an exciting prospect.

The biggest downside of WiMAX is the cost of the equipment. The subscribers might have to shell out $200 to $300 or even more than that for the devices. However, with widespread acceptance eventually the cost would be lowered down but till then it would continue to be an obstacle.

WiMAX in Asia

Throughout most markets in Asia, WiBRO, the Korean standard and WiMAX are already having a very high penetration rate. This has all been because of their timing. In North America there already is a large base of wired broadband while in Asia there is mostly dial up.

However, there is a huge demand for broadband in Asia and the carriers are quickly stepping up to the demand.

According to a research done by In-Stat, the market for WiMAX in Asia would be at $4.3 billion by the year 2011 and since it costs less to implement, it is the best possible way to make it available to large regions quickly.

Connectivity in Third World and Rural areas

There is a huge cost benefit for the carriers because of the use of WiMAX as last mile connectivity which otherwise would have to be installed through cable, fiber or individually at home. In several large cities in Europe and US, where there is already broadband infrastructure, this can mean an immediate advantage.

The rural and the isolated areas which do not have any broadband connectivity would also benefit greatly from WiMAX. There are still many regions in the US which are very sparsely populated and too far away from the central areas which makes it difficult to install broadband. However, with WiMAX this problem would be solved.

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In the third world countries, the wireless alternatives and WiMAX are already being installed to provide in places where there was no internet available. There are several significant installations going on in countries like Taiwan, Russia, Pakistan, India and many other countries in Southeast Asia. Along with satellite technology, WiMAX is already being made available to some of the most remote areas in the world.

Major WiMAX players

Even though WiMAX implementation is just beginning, there is huge support for it in the industry. There are several telecommunications carriers as well as equipment manufacturers which are planning to launch or are already launching WiMAX services and products. Some of the installations are already taking place successfully.

Alvarion introduced their WiMAX network in 2008 to deliver internet to homes in Jackson Hole.

Sprint Nextel is also a major player. Sprint launched its first ever WiMAX installation at Baltimore and many other pilot projects in place. Clearwire too has a goal to build a nationwide network.

With a nationwide network, WiMAX can reach its full potential and allow subscribers to access internet through their smartphones, notebooks and other devices from any location at all.

Although several carriers are focusing on 4G networks, there is still great potential for WiMAX.

Future of WiMAX

WiMAX is a revolution, there is no doubt about it. However whether or not it would be able to replace wired broadband totally or not is still to be seen. The newer installations in regions where there hasn’t been broadband or internet connectivity in any form are more than likely to accept wireless.

However, installing WiMAX where there already is a large wired broadband base can be a tough challenge.

Several analysts believe that WiMAX is a big change but it would not be able to replace alternatives like FTH because of the advantages of speed.

However, the future still looks rosy for WiMAX. Low cost chipsets might give a new class to the consumer devices along with built in wireless broadband in UMPCs, smartphones and notebooks.

Later on, 4G technology might supplant WiMAX but it would still be a long way ahead. The technology would definitely make its mark in the industry and would make a great change in the way people communicate.

While 4G technology work is already in place, there is no doubt that it would still take a few years to materialize and eventually it would also have to incorporate some of the popular and more successful elements of WiMAX.

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