Mobile WiMax is picking up momentum, and there is strong case for deploying WiMax in an emerging market like the Middle East. WiMax networks require fewer base stations than 3G (third-generation) higher-speed mobile phone networks. And not only are WiMax base stations cheaper, they also consume less energy because their systems don't need cooling. That's a huge benefit as powering networks cost efficiently can be a big challenge in emerging markets.
Add to that the speed of WiMax -- up to 10G bps (bits per second) -- and the result is "a very strong case for WiMax, as particularly small and medium-size businesses in rural areas can be served very cost-efficiently with this technology.
“WiMAX is a converging technology. Being IP native it integrates naturally in an NGN (Next Generation Network) environment which optimizes both CAPEX and OPEX. Being QoS native it supports all types of IP Multimedia Services as well.
In terms of services WiMAX fills a gap in the Broadband Wireless Access space. It complements ADSL in whites zones, it extends WiFi reach beyond the 150m coverage with a higher number of simultaneous users and it complements 3G technologies for demanding applications,” says Michel Naggar, Business Development Director, Alcatel-Lucent.
At this stage, we believe that with the standard WiMAX 80216e, WiMAX will enable operators in different areas to complement their existing services with all the benefits of wireless, says Noel Kirkaldy, Director- Wireless Broadband, Motorola. “ The real question is -- which technology will do to data what cellular has done for voice? In Saudi Arabia, about 78% of the population is connected to voice but only 1% of households are connected to data access – we believe that it’s WiMAX that will provide this access in coordination with other technologies.”
Enormous stakes
The advent of mobile WiMax is far more than just a matter of introducing new technology. It has the potential to significantly alter the pecking order in the cellular industry. And, more important, it has the potential to change what people do while they're mobile.
So what happens to the many cellular networks already built or being built in these markets?
They won't disappear, according to industry experts. On the contrary, operators will continue to use them to deliver basic voice and text services. Some may also decide to upgrade them to GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) or EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) technologies to support low-speed data services. However, it’s unlikely that mobile operators with 3G networks will adopt WiMax.
“WiMAX is suitable for all manner of operators. Having said that, we don’t think that 3G operators will be the first to go with WiMAX – it’s more likely to be operators that have not deployed 3G such as the fixed line incumbent or new entrants,” says Kirklady.
In certain countries, operators may ‘leapfrog’ and go straight from GSM (2G) directly WimAX (4G). Warid Telecom in Pakistan is an example of an operator that did this – Warid is GSM (2G) and Wateen is WiMAX (4G), he adds.
While mobile WiMax will provide faster service for less cost, operators with 3G networks can also look to the technology for a number of reasons – “It can be used as a back-up in high density areas. For fixed operators, it is an excellent opportunity to enter the nomadicity world and win new customers by extending broadband reach in remote areas,” says Naggar.
Recently, the IEEE Standards Association has launched its effort to create a next-generation mobile WiMax standard that will potentially provide gigabit-level speeds, according to a working document from the organization. That effort is starting even before current-generation mobile WiMax equipment is widely available.
While nobody doubts mobile WiMax's momentum, many are expressing strong doubts.
Skeptics point out that there are many more doubts about mobile WiMax's technical capabilities than proponents let on. It has hurdles with respect to how it hands off data [between cells], tower density and getting working radios that fit inside laptops. As with all wide-area wireless technologies, in-building penetration could also be a problem with WiMax. However, backers of mobile WiMax say it’s hardly a hurdle. “WiMAX is a radio technology following the same rules of course. Nevertheless in-building penetration is being tested in many of our trial sites and are showing very satisfactory results due the use of Smart Antenna Technologies such as Beam Forming and MIMO,” says Naggar.
Spectrum issues also remain a major factor. “This issue is being addressed by regulators in the region primarily in the 3.5 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands,” says Kirkaldy.
Not only the 3.5GHz band is available in most countries in the region but ITU is now opening the 2.5GHz band as well for WiMAX. Our recommendation to regulators is to deliver National licenses with good bandwidth and with TDD duplexing, adds Naggar.
An emerging ecosystem?
Though all these problems are extremely challenging, one reason mobile WiMax will succeed is that it is extremely well supported by other vendors. That, in turn, means that WiMax-capable devices will be readily available.
Vendors such as Motorola, Samsung and Nokia are developing phones and other mobile devices that will work on the network. In addition, there is a lot of interest from consumer electronics vendors about embedding WiMax capabilities into their gadgets. And Intel, a major WiMax backer, has said it plans to combine WiMax and Wi-Fi capabilities in its chips for laptops. The question, however, is how soon those products will appear. Mobile WiMax is an unproven technology, but if it performs as its advocates claim, it will provide faster service than current 3G technologies such as EV-DO and HSDPA. And it’s an IP-based systems while 3G is currently a circuit-based telephony system, meaning mobile WiMax is more suitable for applications such as VoIP. If those promised are fulfilled, what’s the future of 3G? Watch this space.