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WiMax Approved as Wireless Standard
Maybe 2008 is WiMax’s year after all …
We’ve been watching for years as WiMax develops and the rumors persist that 2008 might be the year that it really gets going. A decision made yesterday by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) may give some credibility to those rumors. The panel approved WiMax as a global standard for wireless devices. We may not see any big changes happening over here in the United States yet, since the restrictions that this clears up over in Europe aren’t an issue over here. But it does mean a step in the right direction that leading WiMax pushers like Intel can take advantage of in the year to come.
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Krypty
join:2004-07-09
Olathe, KS

Krypty

Member

Yay

Another year of WiMax hype. Yay!

JamesPC
join:2005-10-12
Orange, CA

JamesPC

Member

Re: Yay

YES!
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon to Krypty

Member

to Krypty

WiMAX is not just about performance, it is a different business model. WiMAX could be available on any type of consumer electonics device, whether gps device that auto downloads maps/POI, IP radio, refrigerator, PSP/gameboy, cameras, DVD player, anything that could benefit from the net. You can't buy a laptop w/out WiFi today. In a few years, you won't be able to buy a laptop w/out Wifi/WiMAX.

WiMAX has no royalties and doesn't need certification with carriers, meaning it's very easy for consumer electronic makers to just pop in the WiMAX/WiFi chip and release. There are no contracts involved. You see a signal present and use if you want to or not. People will be buying WiMAX devices at Best Buy and not even know it. It's self-marketing. You could have a dozen devices on one account. The WiMAX forum is not doing a very good job explaining that this model is the advantage, not performance.

HSDPA/LTE/EVDO will be limited to cellphone and laptops. They will likely not make it to consumer devices because of royalties, certifications and too much carrier control. It's not the pro-consumer business model that WiMAX has. You have to sign up and then select devices, likely buying direct from carrier. It's also not as spectrally efficient. LTE needs 20mhz for 100Mbps while WiMAX only needs 10Mhz for the same.

But this isn't about performance. There's too much focus on that. It's like the Ghz issue for a business laptop. No one needs 4Ghz for spreadsheets and email. No one needs 10Mbps for web browsing and email. 2-4Mbps will be good enough for 90% of mobile device uses. Latency and QoS will be good enough for VoIP. It's about the internet on any device, not just cellphones and laptops.

S_engineer
Premium Member
join:2007-05-16
Chicago, IL

S_engineer

Premium Member

maybe..

the consequence.....

»IEEE Scandal Leads to 802.20 Overhaul [9] comments
66466388 (banned)
join:2006-11-22

66466388 (banned)

Member

zzzzzzz....

i dont give a crap,

how about announcing when a product is actually for sale, and it actually works, and actually is worth the money paid for it.

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

tc1uscg

Member

Re: zzzzzzz....

said by 66466388:

i dont give a crap,

how about announcing when a product is actually for sale, and it actually works, and actually is worth the money paid for it.
I heard the first tower (live) network test was done in the Chicago area. I don't think you will see Sprint follow it's standard deployment model. The build-out is done all at once in a market, then turned on. Instead of spotty service for the city, it's all done at once, then they start expanding outward from there. It's going to be in my area 1st qtr 08, if the speeds are what they were for Chicago, it's a nice replacement for my HSI from cable.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium Member
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

1 recommendation

Subaru

Premium Member

Sorry I finally have to say something

What is all this Winmax stuff? everytime I see news about it here it's like a roller coaster.
AquaSport
California - Sun, Surf, Traffic Jams
join:2007-05-03
California

AquaSport

Member

blahblahblahblah blah...

subaru, cool picture (of the inside of your Subaru?)...

questions, questions....

also, i don't like all this talk about wiMax, as it'll be a WHILE before anything inexpensive and realistic comes around....

although, it's always worth a thought, as is everything else...

Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium Member
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

Premium Member

Re: blahblahblahblah blah...

lol I don't think a engine would fire with it open like that

But I agree Winmax is just all talk now.
Test99
Premium Member
join:2003-04-24
San Jose, CA

Test99

Premium Member

Interoperability Wins

I would have preferred to see Flash-OFDM win. But ethically-challenged Qualcom took care of that possibility.

Standards and interoperability in this area are a very big deal. Now we can carpet the planet with broadband.

zippuiiy
@bellsouth.net

zippuiiy

Anon

Jetsons 812 h

When I hear of things like this I can't help but think didn't they predict we 'd all be traveling in our personal hovercrafts by now --- when is that gonna to get approved and happen?
kcir
join:2005-07-30
Butner, NC

kcir

Member

Has to wait

Has to wait till 2009, 2008 is the year of BPL.
AquaSport
California - Sun, Surf, Traffic Jams
join:2007-05-03
California

AquaSport

Member

Re: Has to wait

what's BPL?

cdigioia
Premium Member
join:2005-06-08
korea, repub

cdigioia

Premium Member

Re: Has to wait

BPL = Broadband over powerline = broadband internet delivered over the electrical grid. Another technology that's been hyped for awhile but has yet to see practical fruition.

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

tc1uscg

Member

Re: Has to wait

said by cdigioia:

BPL = Broadband over powerline = broadband internet delivered over the electrical grid. Another technology that's been hyped for awhile but has yet to see practical fruition.
I remember 10 years or more ago, Glasgow Electronic Plant Board (a city owned electric provider) started selling BPL (should be BOP ) to it's residents. Think they got voted "most wired city" by Wired Mag for it. I did a quick search in wired magazine but didn't find anything. But if I recall, the initial devices used plugged into an outlet and your online.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

No WIFI replacement.

Wimax won't replace WIFI because primarily ISP wireless broadband carriers (primarily cellular) are commercializing the technology. This limits the use to paid service providers. This will not replace the local connectivity applications that WIFI abgn fills.

So, who cares if the ITU finally gets off their ass and does something marginally useful as approving a transmission standard in a walled garden.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
@bellsouth.net

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Anon

Re: No WIFI replacement.

said by tmc8080:

Wimax won't replace WIFI ...
Not sure where you come up with the comparison or who is claiming it is a replacement for WIFI? Why not comment it's not a replacement for FIOS either? It will follow the business model of other wireless broadband services like EVDO and HSDPA. Maybe some regional small ISPs will get involved too if they can get the bandwidth to use it on.

XBL2009
------
join:2001-01-03
Chicago, IL

XBL2009 to tmc8080

Member

to tmc8080
said by tmc8080:

Wimax won't replace WIFI because primarily ISP wireless broadband carriers (primarily cellular) are commercializing the technology. This limits the use to paid service providers. This will not replace the local connectivity applications that WIFI abgn fills.

So, who cares if the ITU finally gets off their ass and does something marginally useful as approving a transmission standard in a walled garden.
WiMAX is intended as a last mile solution not to replace Wifi. So you would be able to get DSL, Cable or WiMAX. Speed claims of 70mbps over short 3-12KM but really 10 Mbps at 10 km would probably be what you end up with.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: No WIFI replacement.

Well... that's the theory.
70Mbps over 3-12km... while it is possible, I don't think it will be deployed with 70Mbps for some time. 3km is probably a realistic range for any urban/suburban deployment though. I'd suspect 4-10Mbps at 3-5km. I don't see anyone deploying +10Mbps wireless in the U.S. for a while. Even if it has a +10Mbps connection, downloads will most likely be capped initially.

aaaaaaaaaaaaa
@bellsouth.net

aaaaaaaaaaaaa

Anon

Re: No WIFI replacement.

I think the posts here are bluring the lines between fixed and mobile WiMax. The panel approved the mobile technology. I do agree that's a nice hurdle to have jumped over. Aren't some of these speed quotes and other reference more in line with it's fixed cousin ?
aaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaa

Anon

XOHM

BTW FWIW The mobile version of WiMAX is already being deployed in US by Sprint as XOHM. Some places should see this availabe early to middle 2008. »www.xohm.com/
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: XOHM

Don't forget that is a Sprint-Clearwire deal.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080 to XBL2009

Member

to XBL2009
said by XBL2009:

said by tmc8080:

Wimax won't replace WIFI because primarily ISP wireless broadband carriers (primarily cellular) are commercializing the technology. This limits the use to paid service providers. This will not replace the local connectivity applications that WIFI abgn fills.

So, who cares if the ITU finally gets off their ass and does something marginally useful as approving a transmission standard in a walled garden.
WiMAX is intended as a last mile solution not to replace Wifi. So you would be able to get DSL, Cable or WiMAX. Speed claims of 70mbps over short 3-12KM but really 10 Mbps at 10 km would probably be what you end up with.
If you read between the lines.. WIMAX wasn't supposed to be a standard until LATE 2009 or beyond. Getting the stars to align properly is apparently in the interest if BIG WIRELESS carriers.. Sprint is one that comes to mind. Although, now that Sprint has almost bet the farm on wimax.. undoubtedly if they make even a moderate success of it, Verizon will be on the heels of it's own wimax eventually.

There have been many business class wireless cellular commercial grade standards getting nods; cdma, gsm, gprs, edge, dect, ditial amps, and lovely iden. In rather quick succession. Compare this with wifi's standards. Closer to the ITU's long delays of the 14.4-56k modem days.

Originally, WIMAX was billed as a competing home wireless network standard with better specifications than 802.11n could ever hope for. That simply died due to the implications of having cellular carriers with no technology upgrade path(this is where my disappointment comes from). Apparently inventing their own has all but petered out. We can also learn from the iphone controversy that consumers WANT CHOICE AND INTEROPERABILITY. There is also the issue of open wireless networks competing with a paid-for subscription (free vs. pay).

The way the cellular industry plays, few, if any *SMALL* carriers will get into the business. (seeing as 700mhz went to AT&T) Expect no competition. The small fries got fried.
... and the consumer got screwed as fewer technology and communications companies OWN the landscape which we live and breathe on (this is a world-wide phenomenon, at least the US knows how to lead in the corporate greed in this area).
wombough
join:2001-08-30
Albany, GA

wombough

Member

Re: No WIFI replacement.

verizon is not going anywhere near wimax. Vodfone made sure it gets in line with them in Europe and will deploy LTE!
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon

Member

Re: No WIFI replacement.

The LTE for Verizon was not officially announced. It was mentioned by one person in one sentence at a conference. It threw Verizon off-guard. However it is very possible Verizon will use LTE, but it is hardly a final decision. They'll wait to make a decision after the 700mhz auction.
cmaenginsb1
Premium Member
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA

cmaenginsb1 to tmc8080

Premium Member

to tmc8080
If Wimax was for the home than why the word metropolitan in the standard. Wimax was never for the home, it was to allow for the outdoor use of wireless as a broadband technology because at the time Wifi equipment lacked the potential to achieve this.

WIMAX was only billed as a "competing" technology by those who only understood that wifi and wimax delivered networkin g via a wireless technology.

It's taken so long for a wimax standard and equipment that in the meantime wifi has evolved to allow for what wimax was originally going to do.
wombough
join:2001-08-30
Albany, GA

wombough

Member

Re: No WIFI replacement.

there are two wimax options fixed and wireless.
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon to cmaenginsb1

Member

to cmaenginsb1
WiMAX is mostly intended for Net mobility on any kind of consumer device. But it may compete with landline broadband in some cases, just not it's primary target.

There will be dual WiMAX/WiFi chipsets. They will complement each other. WiMAX was never intended to replace WiFi, but to complement it.

In fact, WiFi Muni providers are excited about using WiMAX as a backhaul for WiFi sites.