Abstract

Wireless Broadband Starting to Take Off

In 2005, in the global market as a whole, pre-WiMAX service was being provided mainly by BWA operators. On average, these operators had less than 5,000 subscribers each, and service provision was largely confined to underdeveloped or poor regions with inadequate telecommunications infrastructure.

As of December 2005, the largest commercial WiMAX "wireless city" project in the world was the "Unwired Australia" project in Sydney, with 36,000 subscribers. The second largest was MVS' WiMAX project in Mexico, with 30,000 subscribers. As these projects - and the related applications services - were only just getting off the ground, it was too early to gauge how successful they were likely to be. 

Whereas in Western Europe and North America it was BWA operators that had been most active in the rollout of WiMAX service in 2005, in Asia and in the EEMEA (Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa) region the development of WiMAX service was dominated by incumbent and newly-established fixed-line operators and mobile phone operators. In 2006, North American and Western European fixed-line operators and mobile operators are also beginning to introduce WiMAX pilot projects.

WiMAX to Plug Gaps in Fixed-line, Mobile Networks

WiMAX can be used to provide broadband access in moving vehicles; it thus provides a significantly higher level of mobility than DSL and other fixed-lined broadband services. At the same time, WiMAX offers higher bandwidth than other types of mobile broadband service, and so constitutes a viable way to plug the gaps in existing fixed-line and mobile networks.

While the main focus of WiMAX service development in 2005 was still broadband access, some operators were already beginning to introduce VoIP service. Those operators targeting the corporate market had developed VoIP service right from the start. Reflecting the high level of mobility that WiMAX technology can provide, in 2006 WiMAX CPE products are expected to begin taking the form of modularized devices that could be attached to other consumer electronics products.

Besides desktop WiMAX products for indoor use, a wide range of other WiMAX product types are being developed, including WiMAX handsets, WiMAX Smartphones, notebook PCs with built-in WiMAX modules, and even Ultra Mobile PCs that use WiMAX technology. All of these products will be on the market by 2008 at the latest.

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