WiMAX as the Top Wireless Trend for 2008

Fortune has named WiMAX as one of the top ten wireless trends for 2008.The naming of WiMAX as the top wireless trend for 2008 has not come as a surprise to industry watchers. A number of developments, happening in their own areas are now coming together to deliver the promise of a completely new mobile wireless experience, the first in over a decade. There are no less than ten reasons, which we foresee today, which are likely to make this prediction ring true.

            Firstly, the price of  CPEs based on bill of material costs has for the first time forecast to be below $100 (e.g. by Wavesat®). This is even without any of the large scale introductions of WiMAX networks,  and even with relatively  low  CPE volumes in existence today. With volume the prices are set to nosedive even further.

                        Second, the year  2008 is slated to be  one, where large scale introductions of  WiMAX networks will happen. The launch of XOHM by Sprint Nextel and WiMAX from Clearwire® will propel the availability of WiMAX to over 100 million of customers before the year is out. This follows over 200 trials and successful introductions in a number of countries.

            Third, WiMAX technologies have now matured with the WIMAX forum certifying Wave 2 compatible mobile WiMAX devices. Chipsets are available e.g. from Beceem or Runcom amongst many others which provide immediate implementation of a variety of  customer premises equipment(CPEs).

            Fourth, the governments worldwide have now much higher awareness of  the power of mobility as well WiMAX as an enabler of rural and urban connectivities and its potential in delivering high speed applications. With many of the countries adding 8-10 million users a month for mobile services, universal connectivity is squarely in focus. This is implying a better focus on regulatory issues to spur WiMAX networks.

            Fifthly there is a greater availability of CPEs ranging from PC cards, USB modems, standalone gaming devices and internet tablets. Hence operators who do not possess wireline assets are now willing to take a plunge with the new technologies.

            Sixth, there is now much better clarity on the use of spectrum for WIMAX and mobile WiMAX. With the WRC 2007 adopting the OFDMA-TDD as one of the approved air interfaces under IMT-2000 as well as clearly defining the WiMAX spectrum bands, many of the pending allocations can be quickly resolved.

            Seventh, the success of programs such as M-Taiwan and Eratech® Argentina amongst many others have demonstrated that e-governance and universal connectivity are key drivers of global competitiveness. Regulators globally are seeking expeditious implementations of WiMAX networks, both through spectrum auctions as well as licensing etc.

            Eighth,  most of the legacy  wireline and wireless networks based on TDM circuit switched architecture are nearing end of life and the new generation networks( NGNs) are invariably being implemented based on IP. WiMAX is one of the key wireless technologies which are  based on completely open architectures, use of IETF protocols and use of IPv6. The use of WiMAX is seen not only as a migration to open IP core networks with support for mobility but also migration to IPv6 which is inevitable with growing base of mobile devices and mandates for such migration in many countries.

Ninth, the WiMAX technology, unlike its predecessor the WiFi, provides a number of quality of service classes, which can be defined for each connection and each application running over these connections. Thus it can support VoIP for rural telephony as easily as streaming video with their own QoS classes. It is now being seen as a key technology to enable true broadband capable of supporting a rich multimedia messaging and calling environments. Whether it is pictures with an 8Mp camera or an 80GB iPOD®, WiMAX can keep these wireless. Many applications are now ready to step out of the limited connectivity and the row resolutions enabled by today’s mobile networks.

Tenth and finally, all this would be in vain, were it not for some “big-bang” introductions of the technology, which immediately provide a critical mass for prices to come down sufficiently for even more users to subscribe to the service, thus creating a chain reaction.

With the impending launches in a number of countries, as well as launch of Sprint Nextel XOHM and Clearwire® services in USA, the stage is now fully set for just such a phenomenon.

            Just as WiFi changed the landscape in the use of computers and mobile devices in just a couple of years, get set to witness  the same for WiMAX this year. The drama is expected to unfold with veterans on the stage with the likes of Intel, Samsung, Motorola and Sprint  being a part of the star cast and many years of rehearsing behind them. The drama will be played out on the world theatre, with virtually every country donning its colors and logo.

WiMAX 3G/ LTE Debate

The  WiMAX and 3G Evolutions/ LTE debate is not new. Nevertheless there can not be one technology which can be deemed as superior without specifying a range of factors such as rural/ suburban or urban usage, type of applications and user densities. Mobile WiMAX  or WiMAX is capable of providing wireless overlays in rural areas and this has been also one its early application. WiMAX also classes of service which provide more reliable deliveries of Video or VoIP, which at present can not be matched by any competing technology. The MBS multicast feature of mobile WiMAX can deliver streaming multicast services to hundreds of thousands of customers. At the same time HSPA or LTEs enjoy the legacy advatage of incremental capex over existing 3G networks and the ready targeting of a large base of customers under the 3G (UMTS or CDMA) technologies. Neverthless it can not overcome the basic architectural weakness of the 3G as of today. Hence the advantage that these networks enjoy may be more fickle than believed.

Amitabh Kumar

www.wimax-home.com

FDD profiles for Mobile WiMAX?

It is interesting to read about the WiMAX Forum working on Mobile WiMAX using a FDD profile, which at present is not in the portfolio of profiles slated for certification- all of which are based on TDD.
One of the reasons why the WiMAX forum had taken this approach is that of simplicity of receivers which need only one frequency RFC and the economy on the use of spectrum, always a highly priced resource.
The new spectrum auction in the 700 MHz and the announced opening of new profiles for Wimax in this band will lead to more efficient networks.
Despite having certification profiles in Place for over 2 years, mobile WiMAX pre-WiMAX ( pre-certification) devices have emerged now and certified devices will be available in later part of 2008.
At present it may be too early to call it a bad news for 4G, though it may be eventually that WiMAX will win, but my sense is that it will be the TDD version.