WiMAX 2 Will Emerge in 2012
While the global market adopts GSM standard for mobile device, the US market will continue with both CDMA (Sprint, Verizon) and GSM (AT&T, T-Mobile) standards when the market advances to next generation of cellular technology.
Clearwire is currently the only major U.S. carrier to operate a wireless network based on the 802.16e WiMAX standard. Clearwire wholesales access to its network out to companies that want to offer customers high-speed wireless data services but that do not own WiMAX infrastructure of their own, including Sprint, Comcast and Time-Warner Cable. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are all planning to commercially launch LTE services at some point over the next two years.
Clearwire is contemplating to offers LTE network infrastructure as a possible complement or alternative to its current WMAX network.
Sprint has been rolling out steadily its WiMAX since 2008 and started selling handsets using this 4G technology such the HTC EVO 4G and the Samsung Epic 4G as well as the Wireless Modem.
Verizon promises to roll out its LTE network in major cities in 2011, AT&T and T-Mobile will deploy reportedly LTE sometime in 2012 nationwide.
In 2012, we expect to see a new version of WiMAX called WiMAX 2 formally known as 802.16m, which will be significantly faster than the current WiMAX standard (802.16e) and LTE.
WiMAX Forum Vice President Mohammad Shakouri has said the goal is for the new WiMAX standard to deliver average downlink speeds of more than 100Mbps to users. In contrast, Sprint’s initial Xohm WiMax offering, which debuted commercially in 2008, delivered downlink speeds ranging between 3.7M to 5Mbps; uplink 1 – 2Mbps and LTE with 5 to 6 Mbps downloads and 2 to 3 Mbps uploads speed
802.16m is downward compatible with 802.16e, the upgrade will be relatively low cost and with minimal disruption.
[Via ComputerWorld]
No comments yet.