Standards-Based WiMAX to Take Wireless Communications to New Heights

Standards-Based WiMAX to Take Wireless Communications to New Heights

LONDON, January 31/PRNewswire/ -- The wireless communications market has been witnessing tremendous
growth in the recent past and the emergence of the standards-based wireless
interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) is expected to further this
popularity.



In fact, WiMAX is likely to become the third most widely used
high-speed Internet access technology following digital subscriber line (DSL)
and cable modem, which are its key competitors.



"Customers are more confident about accepting a specifications
and standards-based product and this is tilting the balance in favor of
WiMAX," explains Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Arjun Chokkappan.



Lower costs, continuous product evolution, and flexibility in
switching suppliers are driving uptake of WiMAX based products. Success in
several mass markets, coupled with the increase in the number of technology
providers, is also making this technology more accessible and affordable.



WiMAX focuses on bringing about interoperability in broadband
wireless access (BWA) systems. This is achieved through a unique subset of
baseline features known as system profiles that enables equipment from
multiple vendors to interoperate.



However, WiMAX still needs to prove its capabilities in terms of
quality of service (QoS). Interference within the same frequency in
particular needs immediate attention.



"This is likely to prove challenging since the 802.16 standard
operates in unlicensed spectrums," explains Chokkappan. "With the number of
service providers on the rise, there are greater chances of interference."



Another challenge is competition from existing technologies such
as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), cable, and DSL in which customers have invested
heavily.



WiMAX is looking to meet the latest demands in the wireless
communications market for efficient voice over Internet protocol (VoIP),
superior performance, and higher reliability in the wireless industry that is
currently unmet by the existing technologies.



"Given its non-line of sight, VoIP, and interoperability
capabilities, WiMAX holds the potential to coexist with - if not upstage -
current technologies," observes Chokkappan.



For example, a combination of Wi-Fi and WiMAX capabilities for
cellular phones, laptops, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) is an
emerging trend. The hybrid Wi-Fi and WiMAX provides user access through Wi-Fi
and backhaul by means of WiMAX.



WiMAX can also look toward upstaging DSL - particularly in the
rural areas of Asia and Eastern Europe where it is extremely expensive to
deploy cable or DSL.



"For WiMAX, standards and low costs are expected to be crucial
differentiating factors that will enable the technology to remain competitive
in the mainstream commercial market," concludes Chokkappan.



If you are interested in a summary of this research service providing an
introduction to Technical Insights' analysis of Advances in Wireless
Communications (D332), please send an email to Kristina Menzefricke,
Corporate Communications at kristina.menzefricke@frost.com with the following
information: full name, company name, title, contact telephone number, email.
Upon receipt of the above information, the summary will be emailed to you.



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For further information, please contact:

Kristina Menzefricke
Frost & Sullivan
Corporate Communications
P: +44-(0)20-7343-8376
E: kristina.menzefricke@frost.com



Source: Frost & Sullivan

For further information, please contact: Kristina Menzefricke, Frost & Sullivan, Corporate Communications, P: +44-(0)20-7343-8376, E: kristina.menzefricke@frost.com


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