Published on June 24, 2005
Wherever you are, sitting still or moving about, you will never again lose access to high-speed broadband services. Fixed WiMax and mobile WiMax, equipment to make ultra high-speed access possible, will soon be introduced worldwide.
Standing for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, WiMax is a technology that enables the delivery of last-mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL which now bring high-speed broadband to homes and businesses over ordinary copper lines, delivering users millions of bits per second. It is expected to enable multimedia applications over wireless connections and it has a range of up to 50 kilometres.
Bandwidth generally diminishes as range increases across these classes of networks. WiMax can serve applications such as cellular back-haul systems in which microwave technologies now dominate, back-haul systems for Wi-Fi hot spots, and most prominently as residential and business broadband services. Mohammad Shakouri, a WiMax Forum board member and vice president of marketing, said that to respond to different demands for broadband access in locations worldwide, both WiMax-based fixed and mobile equipment developed by companies and certified by the WiMax Forum will be gradually released to the market. The WiMax Forum is an organisation of operators and communications equipment companies working to facilitate the deployment of broadband wireless networks based on the 802.16 standard, by ensuring the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless-access equipment. It does not roll out products – it ensures that products meet WiMax Forum requirements to support interoperability with other equipment certified by the WiMax Forum. A fixed WiMAX system is designed to cover broadband telecommunications in two areas: in developed countries for nationwide coverage, and in developing countries in areas without a fixed-line communications infrastructure, such as remote rural regions, residential and business districts outside cities, and other areas with special needs. It is also designed to supplement telecommunications infrastructure in thinly populated areas. Mobile WiMAX can provide broadband on the move. It is designed to provide broadband telecommunications everywhere for a large number of users in densely populated areas in developed countries. The use of WiMax can support different application classes at the same time, for example interactive gaming, VoIP (voice over IP), video conferencing, streaming media and media-content downloads (both audio and video in real time), Web browsing, and instant messaging. Shakouri said fixed WiMax would come out late this year while mobile WiMax will be in the market by 2007, to support new demand for what is called “personal broadband”, as well as to make DSL on the move and broadband mobile data from non-mobile operators a reality. A market study done by Strategy Analytics, an independent global research and consulting firm, estimated that there will be 20 million fixed WiMAX installations by 2009, which will be enough for the technology to be considered a success in the market. The adoption of WiMAX will be driven primarily by use of the technology as a form of fixed broadband, rather than mobile broadband, the study concluded. “It is expected there will be more than 3.5 million subscribers to Fixed WiMax in Asia Pacific in 2009, with more than 1.5 million in North America and slightly more than two million in Europe,” he said. Taking care of certifying WiMax equipment, Shakouri said the WiMax Forum would open its labs next month to begin certifying conformity and interoperability with fixed equipment at 3.5 GHz and then 5.8 GHz. The first WiMax-certified equipment should be available in November, with capabilities targeted to customers’ needs worldwide. Shakouri said the WiMax Forum has certified first-generation customer-premises equipment which is expected to be outdoor subscriber stations akin to a small satellite dish. These are likely to be available late this year or early next year for around US$350 (Bt14,000). The second generation of customer-premises equipment will be indoor self-installable modems similar to a cable or DSL modem, for about $250. These are expected to be available in 2006. Third-generation equipment will be approximately $100 initially and will be available in 2007-2008. With the implementation of Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), a high-frequency wireless local area network, WiMax will complement Wi-Fi by extending its reach and providing a “Wi-Fi like” user experience on a larger geographical scale. Wi-Fi technology was designed and optimised for local area networks (LAN), whereas WiMax was designed and optimised for metro-area networks. In the 2006-2008 timeframe it is expected that both 802.16 and 802.11 standards will be included in end-user devices from laptops to PDAs, as both will deliver wireless connectivity directly to the end user – at home, in the office and most importantly, on the move. Suchalee Pongprasert The Nation Singapore suchalee@nationgroup.com
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