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WiMAX: Beyond WiFi? 

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PCQ Bureau
New Update

While WiFi (802.11) continues to provide WLAN (Wireless LAN) capabilities to organizations and hotspots, a technology named WiMAX is making inroads for building wireless broadband MANs (Metropolitan Area Network). WiMAX, or Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a

wireless technology that brings broadband connectivity to the last mile.

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WiFi is well suited for LANs, with an operating range of up to 100 meters for indoor usage and up to a few kilometers for outdoor usage in campus area networks. It is not meant to span cities to provide wireless data access. WiMAX, on the other hand, delivers wireless data in the range of up to 50 kilometers as an alternative to DSL and cable broadband technologies for providing last mile Internet access to residential as well as commercial users. Though WiMAX challenges DSL and cable, it is not a replacement to WiFi. In fact, it complements WiFi, wherein it can provide broadband Internet access to public WiFi hotspots and private WLANs, which presently use DSL or cable for this purpose. WiMAX is also a viable wireless broadband option for people in suburban and rural areas (where DSL or cable modem service is not available). Enterprises, most of which are not zoned for cable or DSL type connectivity, use leased-line connections for Internet connectivity.

Direct

Hit!
Applies to:

Anybody with broadband connectivity

USP:

Wireless broadband for last mile connectivity

Links:

www.wimaxforum.org

WiMAX presents an alternative broadband solution to them as well.

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WiFi operates in the 2.4 GHz microwave frequency channel and provides a shared data throughput of up to 54

Mbps.

WiMAX, which conforms to the IEEE 802.16 standard, operates in the 2-11 GHz microwave range and promises to deliver shared throughput of up to 75 Mbps, which is enough for simultaneously supporting hundreds of businesses with T1-type connectivity and thousands of residences with DSL or cable-type connectivity. WiMAX, like WiFi, also does not require line of sight between the base station and user equipment for data transmission.

WiMAX, like the WiFi, follows various versions of the base standard, 802.16 in WiMAX's case. IEEE 802.16a focused on fixed broadband access, while IEEE 802.16d enhances it by providing support for indoor customer equipment. IEEE 802.16e will be an extension of the IEEE 802.16 a/d standard. The purpose of 802.16e is to add data mobility to the current standard, which is designed for fixed operation.

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Standards for different types of wireless networks

Products conforming to the 802.16d standard will start appearing by mid 2005 and will be outdoor-installable subscriber stations, and later indoor-installable modems similar to a cable or DSL modem. Products conforming to the 802.16e will appear in 2006/07 and will be portable modems that can be integrated into laptops for mobility. However, the success of WiMAX doesn't depend on products alone. Unlike WiFi where customers can buy wireless equipment and start building their WLANs, WiMAX implementations will require service and equipment providers. The service provider would be an ISP or telecom operator that can provide wireless Internet service using WiMAX base stations, and the equipment provider would provide the base station hardware and end user equipment.

Anoop Mangla

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