|
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "WiMAX" stand for?
"WiMAX" is an acronym that stands for Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access. What WiMAX is however at its heart is a standards
initiative. Its purpose is to ensure that the broadband wireless
radios manufactured for customer use interoperate from vendor to
vendor.
The primary advantages of the WiMAX standard are to enable the
adoption of advanced radio features in a uniform fashion and reduce
costs for all of the radios made by companies who are part of the
WiMAX Forum™--- a standards body formed to ensure interoperability via
testing.
Where did the idea of WiMAX
come from?
Much of the credit for the formation of the WiMAX ForumTM and the
notion of the WiMAX initiative must go to Intel and other founding
members of the Forum, which committed themselves early to the process
of creating a collaborative standards body.
Intel recognized that for the broadband wireless industry (both fixed
and mobile broadband wireless) to gain traction and wide acceptance
that both hardware prices must decline and a consistent operating
environment must be cemented into place.
The key point of launch however, had to begin with the silicon chip
manufacturers whose chip products would form the core of WiMAX
technology value and capability.
Other technology standards for digital subscriber line (DSL) service
and the Cable broadband industry (the DOCSIS standard) have been
responsible for driving those technologies to wide acceptance.
WiMAX itself is commonly mentioned in conjunction with the Institute
for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) IEEE 802.16 working
group, which is tasked with defining the technological aspects and
features that will be incorporated into WiMAX.
The WiMAX ForumTM is a collaborative body geared to ensure compliance
with the IEEE 802.16 standards and certified interoperability between
radio vendors.
What is the WiMAX Forum™?
The WiMAX Forum is an organization of leading operators and
communications component and equipment companies. The WiMAX Forum’s
charter is to promote and certify the compatibility and
interoperability of broadband wireless access equipment that conforms
to the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
802.16 and ETSI HiperMAN standards. The WiMAX Forum was established to
help remove barriers to wide-scale adoption of Broadband Wireless
Access (BWA) technology, since a standard alone is not enough to
incite mass adoption of a technology. Along these lines, the Forum
works closely with service providers and regulators to ensure that
WiMAX Forum Certified systems meet customer and government
requirements.
Is WiMAX new? When did it start?
WiMAX is new in terms of a standards initiative---and in particular
the launch of numerous WiMAX technology supporting chipsets by Forum
members. However, much of the technology being incorporated into the
IEEE 802.16 technology set is existent in industry today.
A number of best of breed broadband radio manufacturers already
offered various elements being incorporated into WiMAX as proprietary
technology. However, vendors rarely offered consistent iterations of
radio modulation and other techniques---ensuring that solutions had to
be single vendor specific.
This means that much of the technological capability of WiMAX is
relatively mature. In fact the radio vendors who are members of the
forum have deployed equipment in over 125 nations around the globe.
The combination of these advanced technologies into a single standards
package combined with new generation optimized chipsets and tested and
certified interoperability between radio manufacturers deliver a
robust and powerful technology with the inherent capability to match
or exceed the performance and cost factors of other broadband
technologies. This can all be achieved without traditional wireline
tethers.
What is WiMAX technology?
WiMAX is a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last
mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL.
WiMAX will provide fixed, nomadic, portable and, eventually, mobile
wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct
line-of-sight with a base station. In a typical cell radius deployment
of three to 10 kilometers, WiMAX Forum Certified™ systems can be
expected to deliver capacity of up to 40 Mbps per channel, for fixed
and portable access applications. This is enough bandwidth to
simultaneously support hundreds of businesses with T-1 speed
connectivity and thousands of residences with DSL speed connectivity.
Mobile network deployments are expected to provide up to 15 Mbps of
capacity within a typical cell radius deployment of up to three
kilometers.
It is expected that WiMAX technology will be incorporated in notebook
computers and PDAs in 2006, allowing for urban areas and cities to
become “MetroZones” for portable outdoor broadband wireless access.
Is WiMAX Safe?
Happily since much of the technology being utilized in the IEEE 802.16
standard (WiMAX standard) is widely deployed in limited fashion today
there is a historical body of evidence supporting the safety of
technologies used in upcoming WiMAX and WiMAX products.
Microwave and other spectrum technologies enjoy over a hundred years
of historical evidence of safety when prudently handled and
configured. The amount of power allowed to deliver broadband wireless
signal varies from frequency to frequency, however most are modest
topping out around 40 watts.
While certain basic precautions need to be taken when onsite at
communications towers (i.e. standing directly in front of active
microwave links at essentially zero range) the configurations for
public use are understood and safe.
Is WiMAX Technology Secure?
The short answer is yes, as never before with broadband wireless
systems. However, this area appears to be early ground that vendors
are staking out to differentiate their products and philosophies.
The WiMAX standard itself incorporates more, better and more flexible
security support by far than the Wi-Fi standard launched with. It can
be sometimes confusing when industry pundits and detractors talk of
standards such as WiMAX and then in the same breath describe ways in
which vendors will be "different" or that WiMAX security might be
weak.
At first glance, these comments on the part of some vendors zealous to
promote the added capabilities of their products can leave one feeling
uncertain about the quality and reliability of the product. Security
is probably a good place to explain the difference between the very
robust base standards of WiMAX and the ways in which individual
vendors can still differentiate their products (with additional and
perhaps more powerful or convenient features) beyond the features that
the base standard offers.
We will explain the base WiMAX security standard in the next section.
However, what is important to understand is that it is quite robust.
Perhaps more importantly, it allows for additional feature sets that
could be added by various vendors to achieve security results as good
as or better than any competing wireline broadband option even those
being used for extremely secure governmental applications.
Typical residential service doesn't require the kind of security a
bank, hospital or government often need. WiMAX can handle this. An
example can be helpful here. Let us say that a broadband wireless
service provider chooses one particular customer premise equipment (CPE)
radio that has nice features and an especially good price for its
consumer based offering.
These CPEs possess normal WiMAX security functionality which is at
least as good as other broadband consumer technologies such as cable.
It might choose to utilize a second vendor's base station to feed
service to those radios that also possesses enhanced security
capabilities adding an additional security overlay to the base
security of the residential network consumer purposed CPE
radios---particularly in the backhaul portion of the network.
This could add a small layer of additional support to radios that,
while secure, could not feature enhanced capabilities due to the cost
factors that consumer radio business requires.
This same base unit could also offer the company an ability to support
an additional layer of radios for business or governmental or health
care industry customers (where HIPPA confidentiality compliance is of
great importance to us all) that actually have a DIFFERENT CPE radio
that, while more expensive, possesses feature sets that take full
advantage of extended security features that are commonly added to
high-security government networks.
It does not detract from the network for perfectly serviceable
residential class security capable (and inexpensive) radios to coexist
with premium feature (and cost) WiMAX products on the same network
designed to serve specialty customers. Similar add one products are
used with wireline products but often require additional hardware
beyond the modem.
What is the importance of
WiMAX?
WiMAX, a data-on-the-go alternative to cable and DSL, is a
standards-based broadband wireless access technology for enabling the
last-mile delivery of information. WiMAX will provide fixed, nomadic,
portable and, eventually, mobile wireless broadband connectivity
without the need for direct line-of-sight connection between a base
station and a subscriber station. In a typical cell radius deployment
of 3 to 10 Km, WiMAX-certified systems can be expected to support
capacity of up to 40Mbps per channel, for fixed and portable access
applications. This is enough bandwidth to simultaneously support
hundreds of businesses with T-1 speed connectivity and thousands of
residences with DSL speed connectivity.
Mobile network deployments are expected to provide up to 15Mbps of
capacity within a typical cell-radius deployment of up to 3 Km. It is
expected that WIMAX technology will be incorporated in notebook
computers and PDAs starting as early as the end of 2006, enabling
urban areas and cities to become "MetroZones" for portable outdoor
broadband wireless access. WiMAX technology has the potential to
enable service carriers to converge the all-IP-based network for
triple-play services such as data, voice, and video.
What does WiMAX Forum
Certified mean? How is this different from “WiMAX compliant?”
As the exclusive organization dedicated to certifying the
interoperability of BWA products, the WiMAX Forum will define and
conduct conformance and interoperability testing to ensure that
different vendor systems work seamlessly with one another. Those that
pass conformance and interoperability testing will receive the “WiMAX
Forum Certified” designation.
Vendors claiming their equipment is “WiMAX-like,” WiMAX-compliant,”
etc., are not WiMAX Forum Certified, which means that their equipment
is not independently certified to be interoperable with other vendors’
equipment. Only WiMAX Forum Certified equipment is proven
interoperable with other vendors’ equipment that is also WiMAX Forum
Certified.
When will the WiMAX Forum
begin certifying equipment? Where will the equipment be tested?
The WiMAX Forum selected Cetecom Spain as its official certification
laboratory. In July 2005, Cetecom will begin testing WiMAX Forum
member companies’ products to certify that they meet WiMAX Forum
conformance and interoperability standards.
The selection of Cetecom is a critical milestone on the path to
enabling the commercial availability of WiMAX Forum Certified
products. Headquartered in Spain, Cetecom has affiliate regional labs
which will allow WiMAX Forum members worldwide to easily access the
testing facilities.
Is the WiMAX Forum on track to
meet its target goals for certifying equipment?
The WiMAX Forum has gained significant momentum over the past two
years, particularly since mid-2004, when the organization established
mid-2005 as the target date for launching the WiMAX Forum Certified
program. Since that time, WiMAX Forum profiles were selected, the IEEE
802.16-2004 standard was completed, silicon manufacturers began
sampling their products and the test lab was selected. The preparation
of the test lab is the final step before launching the certification
program. The WiMAX Forum is confident that testing will begin in July
2005, which is on target with the projections set by the Forum many
months ago.
When will WiMAX Forum
Certified products be commercially available?
It is important to remember that the WiMAX Forum does not control when
products will enter the market. As an industry association, our role
is to drive standardization and certification − we do not launch
products or build networks. But based on what we are hearing from our
member companies, we believe service provider lab trials could begin
in the third quarter of 2005, followed by commercial trials in the
fourth quarter. We are optimistic that networks could be commercially
deployed by the first quarter of 2006.
When does the WiMAX Forum
expect systems to take off in the marketplace?
WiMAX is not a new technology per se, but a more innovative and
commercially viable adaptation of a proven technology that is
delivering broadband services around the globe today. In fact,
wireless broadband access systems from WiMAX Forum members are already
deployed in more than 125 countries around the world. That said, WiMAX
Forum member companies will be the first to bring standardized
solutions to the marketplace, making broadband services more
cost-effective to deploy on a wide scale.
What companies are involved
with the WiMAX Forum?
More than 220 companies are members of the WiMAX Forum, representing
the entire ecosystem of companies necessary for bringing WiMAX Forum
Certified products to market, including equipment manufacturers,
operators, system integrators, silicon and component makers, and
application providers. For a complete list of current members, visit
www.wimaxforum.org.
What are the benefits of WiMAX
Forum Certified products?
The ultimate goal of the WiMAX Forum is to accelerate the introduction
of cost-effective broadband wireless access services into the
marketplace. Standards-based, interoperable solutions enable economies
of scale that, in turn, drive price and performance levels
unachievable by proprietary approaches, making WiMAX Forum Certified
products cost-effective at delivering broadband services on a wide
scale. Designed for carrier-class deployments as well as low-cost,
license-exempt deployments, WiMAX Forum Certified systems will deliver
high-capacity service throughput (up to 75 Mbps in a 20MHz channel)
and will provide a range of up to five kilometers in near to
non-line-of-sight conditions. The systems are scalable for up to
thousands of users, and because they will be interoperable, service
providers will be able to purchase equipment from more than one
vendor, thereby reducing the overall risk and creating a
price-competitive marketplace.
How will WiMAX Forum Certified
products benefit enterprises? Residential users?
For enterprises, WiMAX can provide a cost-effective broadband access
alternative. Since most businesses are not zoned for cable, their only
option for broadband service is from the local telco, creating a
monopoly situation. The ease of deployment for WiMAX Forum Certified
systems can benefit enterprises by bringing new competition into the
marketplace and lowering prices, or by enabling enterprises to set up
their own private networks. This is especially relevant for industries
like gas, mining, agriculture, transportation, construction and others
that operate in remote locations.
For some residential customers in suburban and rural areas (where DSL
or cable modem service is not available), WiMAX can provide the
ability to finally have the broadband access they need. This is
particularly true in developing countries, where traditional telecom
infrastructure is not readily accessible.
What will the customer premise
equipment (CPE) be like and what will it cost?
The first generation of WiMAX Forum Certified CPEs are expected to be
outdoor-installable subscriber stations akin to a small satellite
dish. These are expected to be available in late 2005/early 2006 and
priced around $350. The second generation of CPEs will be indoor
self-installable modems similar to a cable or DSL modem and will be
priced around $250 and are expected to be available in 2006.
Third-generation CPEs will be integrated into laptops and other
portable devices, are expected to initially cost approximately $100
and will be available in the 2006-2007 timeframe.
What is the difference between
IEEE 802.16 and WiMAX technology?
One of the main objectives of the WiMAX Forum is to create a single
interoperable standard from the IEEE 802.16 and ETSI HiperMAN
standards. This is achieved by the creation of System Profiles. Based
upon what the WiMAX Forum sees in terms of service provider and vendor
equipment plans, the WiMAX Forum has decided to focus first on
profiles for the 256 OFDM PHY mode of the 802.16-2004 standard, which
was ratified by the IEEE in June 2004. This physical layer (PHY) will
be combined with a single media access controller (MAC), ensuring a
uniform base for all WiMAX implementations.
Compliance with the 802.16 standard does not mean equipment is WiMAX
Forum Certified or that it is interoperable with other vendors’
equipment. However, if a piece of equipment has earned the WiMAX Forum
Certified designation, it is both compliant with the 802.16 standard
and interoperable with other vendors’ equipment that is also WiMAX
Forum Certified.
How many different standards
are in existence for WiMAX today?
Currently, there are two WiMAX standards - a fully rectified IEEE
802.16-2004 fixed WiMAX standard and a yet-to-be rectified IEEE
802.16e standard.
What are the different
standards of 802.16 – such as 802.16a, 802.16-2004 and 802.16e?
IEEE 802.16a standardization focused on fixed broadband access. IEEE
802.16-2004 enhanced the standard by providing support for indoor CPE.
The IEEE 802.16e standard is planned to be an extension to the
approved IEEE 802.16-2004 standard. The purpose of 802.16e is to add
data mobility to the current standard, which is designed mainly for
fixed operation.
When was the IEEE 802.16
standard approved?
IEEE approved the initial 802.16 standard for wireless MAN for the
10-66 GHz frequency range in December 2001. The 802.16a extension for
sub-11 GHz was approved in January 2003. The 802.16-2004 standard was
ratified by the IEEE in June 2004. The 802.16e standard is being
reviewed by IEEE and is expected to be approved in mid-2005.
Will WiMAX compete with Wi-Fi?
WiMAX and Wi-Fi will coexist and become increasingly complementary
technologies for their respective applications. WiMAX typically is not
thought of as a replacement for Wi-Fi. Rather, WiMAX complements 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
optimized for Local Area Networks (LAN), whereas WiMAX was designed
and optimized for Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN). In the 2006-2008
timeframe, it is expected that both 802.16 and 802.11 will be
available 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 on the move.
Will the WiMAX Forum work with
the Wi-Fi Alliance
WiMAX Forum members are working with other industry groups, including
the Wi-Fi Alliance, to enable seamless handoffs between multiple
wireless standards, furthering the development of a cohesive wireless
ecosystem.
How about the competition with
3G services? In Japan, NTT DoCoMo announced a plan to begin HSDPA
service in FY2005, while 802.16-e standardization is delayed. The
theoretical speed of HSDPA and 802.16-e is nearly same, so doesn’t
this mean that 802.16-e has a disadvantage?
HSDPA (also dubbed 3.5G) follows the evolutionary path of 3G while
WiMAX is designed from the ground up to become the disruptive force in
broadband wireless access. It is true that 3G and HSDPA deployments
will continue around the globe, but the sheer technical benefits
(e.g., further reach, higher data rate, robust QoS, and flexible
channel bandwidth) of both fixed and mobile WiMAX will enable
WiMAX-powered networks to complement the cellular networks by
extending their data reach further.
Another point is that the network build-out costs based on WiMAX are
lower than 3G-based networks. This cost advantage will provide the
operators an opportunity to offer more cost-competitive voice + data
service packages to their WiMAX-subscribed customers. Naturally, the
jury is still out on the future impact of WiMAX on HSDPA but judging
by the buzz generated by WiBRO (the Korean version of mobile WiMAX),
we should always be on the lookout for any dark horse technology such
as WiMAX to appear and usurp 3G’s and HSDPA’s market position.
What is Korea's WiBro?
WiBro is an acronym for wireless broadband. Korean standards makers
adopted the term to describe their initiatives towards adopting a
version of the 802.16e standard. Basically the Korean standard chose
to accept the mobile WiMAX iteration of 802.16e, rather than any
future version that included backwards compatibility to fixed wireless
802.16 systems.
Korea enjoys probably the most extensive 3G deployments in the world
already, and its fixed broadband access per capita is the highest in
the world. What it saw it needed was an improved mobile broadband. In
fact the Korean government issued the first three deployment licenses
for WiBro in January of 2005.
This is not Mobile WiMAX, which will likely incorporate some
methodologies to support the previous 802.16-2004 fixed broadband
wireless standard. Since the WiMAX Forum has chosen to interoperate
with WiBro this should ultimately result in compatible systems.
WiBro in many respects is driving the mobile side of WiMAX at least
from the point of view of vendors eager to provide products to these
early deployments.
What is Europe's ETSI HiperLAN?
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) formulates
telecom standards very similarly to the US based IEEE. The HiperLAN
standard was ETSI's answer to the IEEE 802.11. However, HiperLAN comes
in two types.
The Type 1 which addresses the 2.4 GHz band and the Type 2 which
covers 5 GHz frequencies. There are other variations, some
administrative relating to European licensing methodologies. For more
information see RTTE Directives. However, in broad terms HiperLAN and
IEEE 802.11 are roughly equivalent.
Will WiMAX compete with ETSI
HiperMAN?
The IEEE 802.16-2004 (256 OFDM PHY) and ETSI HiperMAN standards share
the same PHY and MAC specifications. The WiMAX Forum is active in both
standards organizations to ensure that a single global standard for
Wireless MAN is adopted.
What is the difference between
802.16 and 802.20?
802.16 and 802.20 are two different technology approaches targeted at
distinct markets. 802.20, however, is still in the very early stages
of standards development and is not expected to be completed within
the next two years. And because 802.20 does not have an industry
support like the WiMAX Forum with its 150 members, interoperability is
questionable and much farther away.
Will WiMAX be a Global
Standard?
Yes. WiMAX is a Global Standard that will ultimately certify products
that can be sold worldwide and interoperate with gear in the same
frequency range and power range. It is important to note that
different countries utilize different spectrum frequencies for
broadband delivery. For instance the licensed band 2.5 GHz range in
the US is also widely used around the world. However, the widely used
international broadband spectrum range in the 3.5 GHz channels are not
available in the US. The early waves of WiMAX products are not
intended to function in multiple spectrum ranges.
What are the benefits of a
Global Standard?
The best example of the benefits of a global broadband standard can be
found in the early decision by European cellular carriers to adopt the
global system for mobile communications (GSM). This standard
eventually caught on in many regions from Asia to the Middle East and
Africa.
It is in many ways the de-facto international standard for cellular
service. This commonality of standard resulted in very rapid adoption
of cellular wireless service as well as strong innovation and
progressive product offers by carriers, ranging from using one's cell
phone to pay for vending machine products to short message service (SMS)
products.
In the US the relatively fragmented technology environment with three
primary competing technologies has prevented intercarrier roaming onto
disparate networks. It also resulted in higher costs for service and
phone products (which have to be re-configured by vendors to work on
various technologies).
A global standard simplifies the equipment vendor process, reduces
costs, speeds customer acceptance and adoption and encourages faster
product and service innovation.
How far can WiMAX cover?
In a typical cell radius deployment of three to 10 kilometers, WiMAX
Forum Certified™ systems can be expected to deliver capacity of up to
40 Mbps per channel, for fixed and portable access applications.
What factors will most greatly
affect range for WiMAX products?
Many factors affect range for any broadband wireless product. Some
such factors include the terrain and density/height of tree cover.
Hills and valleys can block or partially reflect signals. Bodies of
water such as rivers and lakes are highly reflective of RF
transmissions.
Happily OFDM can often turn this to advantage---but not always. The RF
shadow of large buildings can create dead spots directly behind them,
particularly if license-free spectrums are being used (with their
attendant lower power allotments). How busy the RF environment of a
city or town can greatly degrade signals---meaning that properly
designed and well thought out networks are always desired.
The physics of radio transmission dictate that the greater the range
between the base station and customer radio, the lower the amount of
bandwidth that can be delivered, even in an extremely well-designed
network. The climate can affect radio performance---despite this there
are ubiquitous wireless networks deployed today with great success in
frozen Alaskan oil fields. No two cities are exactly alike in terms of
the challenges and opportunities presented. In many respects broadband
wireless remains very much an art form.
However, this is also true for the cellular carriers most of us use
daily. It can be done and well. Mobile broadband wireless will be more
difficult. Achieving high QOS will be easier with fixed broadband
wireless. Despite all of these challenges current broadband wireless
is very effectively serving customers even in the most difficult
environments.
What is the actual throughput
(data transfer rate) of WiMAX Technology?
WiMAX supports very robust data throughput. The technology at
theoretical maximums could support approximately 75 Mbps per channel
(in a 20 MHz channel using 64QAM ¾ code rate).
Real world performance will be considerably lower---perhaps maxing out
around 45 Mbps/channel in some fixed broadband applications. Remember
however, that service across this channel would be shared by multiple
customers.
Actual transmission capabilities on a per customer basis could vary
widely depending on the carrier's chosen customer base, which is
actually an inherent strength because it can be defined by QOS in a
deliberate fashion to offer different bandwidth capabilities to
customers with different needs (and different budgets).
Mobile WiMAX capabilities on a per customer basis will be lower in
practical terms, but much better than competing 3G technologies. WiMAX
is often cited to possess a spectral efficiency of 5 bps/Hz, which is
very good compared to other broadband wireless technologies,
especially 3G.
The modulation scheme whether QPSK, 16QAM, 64 QAM etc. (and their
attendant code rate variations) deliver varying bandwidth capabilities
by channel size. Like with most things wireless, the devil as they say
is in the details.
The good news is that pretty much all of the news is good in this
regard relative to other broadband wireless and wireline competitors
of WiMAX. Many things affect transfer rate beyond simple radio
capability. One major element being distance from the base station.
The physics of radio cannot be avoided. Longer ranges result in lower
bandwidth delivered. Also, the spectrum range (1.e. 20 MHz or other)
that regulation defines as appropriate for different frequency bands
will dictate bandwidth capabilities at least to some extent.
Also remember that the RF and physical environment play a strong roll
in throughput results. Essentially the real world blunts theoretical
performance. Happily even with disclaimers centered around real world
impediments, WiMAX throughput is excellent.
Which profiles/spectrum bands
does the WiMAX Forum address?
The WiMAX Forum will start the process of certifying initial equipment
in the 3.3 to 3.8 GHz and 5.7 to 5.8 GHz bands. These profiles cover
both TDD and FDD systems. The WiMAX Forum has developed system
profiles addressing the 5.8 GHz license-exempt band, and the 2.5 and
3.5 GHz licensed bands to get the market started. The WiMAX Forum is
working with service providers and equipment manufacturers to expand
the frequency allocation to cover all the key spectrum bands that our
member companies identify as interesting to potential WiMAX service
providers.
How many different bands
(licensed and license-exempt) are there within the 2 – 6GHz RF
spectrum?
The WiMAX Forum will start the process of certifying initial equipment
in the 3.3 to 3.8 GHz and 5.7 to 5.8 GHz bands. These profiles cover
both TDD and FDD systems. The WiMAX Forum has developed system
profiles addressing the 5.8 GHz license-exempt band, and the 2.5 and
3.5 GHz licensed bands to get the market started. The WiMAX Forum is
working with service providers and equipment manufacturers to expand
the frequency allocation to cover all the key spectrum bands that its
member companies identify as interesting to potential WiMAX service
providers.
When will WiMAX deployment
occur?
WiMAX is not a new technology per se, but a more innovative and
commercially viable adaptation of a proven technology that is
delivering broadband services around the globe today. In fact,
wireless broadband access systems from WiMAX Forum members are already
deployed in more than 125 countries around the world. That said, WiMAX
Forum member companies will be the first to bring standardized
solutions to the marketplace, making broadband services more
cost-effective to deploy on a wide scale. The first WiMAX Forum
Certified systems should begin shipping in 2005 and demand is expected
to grow exponentially.
Will WiMAX replace fiber? If
so, when will this replacement occur?
Fiber and wireless will co-exist in the last mile. Wireless deployment
will grow significantly over fiber due to ease of deployment and lower
cost. However, in the near term, fiber will still be adopted for
mission-critical applications that require near-zero interference and
latency performance.
Will WiMAX displace the
existing landline and wireless technologies (e.g. WiFi)?
WiMAX and WiFi will coexist and become increasingly complementary
technologies for their respective applications. WiMAX is typically not
thought of as a replacement for WiFi. Rather, WiMAX complements WiFi
by extending its reach and providing a "WiFi–like" user experience on
a larger geographical scale. WiFi technology was designed and
optimized for Local Area Networks (LANs), whereas WiMAX was designed
and optimized for Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). In the 2006 -2008
timeframe, it is expected that both 802.16 and 802.11 capabilities
will be available 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 on the move.
Is Plugfest the only gating factor for WiMAX deployment in 2005?
This really depends on each company's business model. Some equipment
vendors may not require WiMAX certification for their systems since
their end markets don't require it. In any event, WiMAX paves the way
for interoperability between systems and helps realize economies of
scale as a result of mass network deployment. With the first plugfest
scheduled in July 2005, system vendors who are eager to launch their
WiMAX-certified products before the end of 2005 will be gearing up to
submit their products to CETECOM in Spain to maximize their
time-to-market advantage. CETECOM is the first test lab chosen by the
WiMAX Forum to support interoperability and compliance testing of
WiMAX-compliant systems.
What does NLOS (Non Line of
Sight) do?
This "last-mile" market is, by nature, a Point-to-Multipoint (PMP)
architecture utilizing Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) RF propagation.
Millimeter bands are generally most suitable for very high-data-rate,
line-of-sight backhauling applications (major pipelines), while
centimeter bands are well suited for multipoint, NLOS, tributary and
last-mile distribution.
What are the major
applications for WiMAX technology?
A major application is backhauling the existing broadband access
solutions such as xDSL, cable modems, and so on. In addition, WiMAX
itself can be an alternative last-mile solution.
Where (which geographic
locations) do you expect WiMAX-certified equipment to do well in its
early stages?
We believe China will adopt WiMAX-certified equipment in an early
stage, as will other areas, such as India and South Asia, where the
communications infrastructure is not as developed as in the U.S. or
Europe. There has been interest from organizations in Spain, Russia,
Scandinavia and Latin America for the same reasons. And one of the
early system developers is located in Canada.
Which region or country will
be the biggest market? How about Japan, Korea, EU, and BRICS?
We have seen interest emanating from Asia, the Americas and Europe;
hence, it is difficult to pinpoint a particular area or country that
will drive the initial WiMAX adoption and growth. Nevertheless,
countries with many rural areas and where their networking
infrastructures are still in the developing stages will tend to
benefit more from WiMAX. Bearing this in mind, it should not be
surprising to learn that countries like China, India, Russia, Canada
or even Brazil are prime candidates for embracing the WiMAX
technology.
When will the first 802.16-e
product come to market? And when do you think carriers will start
their 802.16-e services?
This is a billion-dollar question. Judging by what we have learned
from the market and industry so far, most semiconductor companies will
launch their first 802.16e chips in 2006. Systems that will be based
on these chips will follow after that. Needless to say, carriers and
operators can only start their network deployments after 802.16e-based
systems become available.
|
|