Why WiMAX?

What is WiMAX? When will it be available? Will I want it?

We've got broadband, we've got wireless, now we've got WiMAX a standard that combines the two.

WiMAX is the "new" buzzword in the communications world. It doesn't stand for a ramped up version of WiFi, but it certainly could be interpreted that way. Put simply, it is wireless broadband. WiMAX is an acronym that stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, a certification mark for products that pass conformity and interoperability tests for the IEEE 802.16 standards. That is, it is a standard for the technology that can deliver wireless broadband services.

WiMAX is the next generation of WiFi, or Wireless networking technology that will connect you to the Internet at faster speeds and from much longer ranges than current wireless technology allows. In Australia, we already have wireless broadband, e.g. Unwired, but they use a proprietary technology which means that there is no guarantee that their equipment will work with anyone else's. The introduction of the WiMAX standard (which will be adopted by Unwired) will mean that WiMAX-certified products and applications will work together.

A WiMAX system - which can be fixed for homes and businesses or mobile for devices - has two parts: a tower similar to a cell phone tower and a receiver. The tower is connected to the Internet using a standard wired high-speed connection, such as a T3 line, but instead of dividing the bandwidth amongst customers via wire, it uses a microwave link to establish connection. The receiver could be in the form of a small box, about the size of a modem, or, as is already being developed, a card that can be built into a laptop the same way a WiFi card is in most computers today.

As a wireless technology it is not limited by requiring a "line of sight" between the source and the end-point thus resolving some of the costly and difficult "last mile" broadband issues. It has a service range of up to 50 kilometres. It provides a shared data rate or up to 70Mbps, which is enough to service up to a thousand homes with High-speed access. WiMAX delivers a "point to multipoint" architecture (not dependent on cable to connect each endpoint), making it an ideal method for carriers to deliver broadband to locations where wired connections would be difficult or costly. For example, deploying WiMAX to an entire apartment building, office block or campus can be done in a couple of days, saving significant amounts of manpower and therefore saving money.

When WiMAX devices become available and certified for use in the Australian market, they will have to compete with (current and improving) technologies - existing WiFi, 3G. With Intel as a strong supporter of WiMAX, it may be used for providing connectivity to entire cities as well as being incorporated into laptops and PDAs to give users additional mobility.

WiMAX will bring many benefits with it. It will however, have to conquer existing markets and therefore it will be seen as a developing/emerging technology until it gains wide adoption. Like many technologies it will be accepted by everyone, adopted where it is truly needed (e.g. emergency services, underserved broadband areas) and be "everywhere" when we need to purchase our next piece of communications equipment. WiMAX has the potential to deliver increased broadband competition, lower prices of equipment and services and more freedom. Currently 3G is optimized for voice rather than data. By the time WiMAX becomes available its market will have extended further than just mobile phones.

WiMAX will get us to re-evaluate our communications. It will renew interest in wireless solutions, mobility and VoIP. It will promote sales of other mobile products. With its greater speed and range WiMAX is not just wireless internet.

When it comes to wireless connectivity, define your scenario, know your options and you'll end up with the right device.

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