overyourhead

WiMAX vs 3G...
I've recently got a 3G card (384kb) for my laptop. First impressions? It's OK in that it'll seamlessly switch from 3G to GPRS but it's not as good, or as fast, as having a WiFi card (11Mb) and good old hot spot. If only WiFi wasn't restricted to such a small area... Well, now it isn't. Along comes WiMAX. WiFi on steroids.

WiMAX offers high-speed wireless data connections over a range of around 30 miles. The technology features both increased range and download speeds compared to WiFi (802.11x), which is intended to provide coverage over small areas. Along with WiFi, other fixed-wireless broadband systems currently exist, including hardware that can deliver services over several miles. But many of these also require "line of sight" between a transmitter and receiver to function - WiMAX does not.

So WiMAX and other new high-speed wireless technologies are likely to take market share from 3G as well as xDSL. In a white paper (yes, I do read such things) research firm TelecomView says that WiMAX will supplement and in some cases replace 3G, xDSL and other wireline technologies to provide broadband services. TelecomView estimates that WiMAX will capture more than 40%t of the wireless broadband market, leaving 3G with less than 60% in 2009. In addition to stealing market share from 3G, the report suggests that WiMAX will also be a threat to fixed-line high-speed broadband services.

Opps. That £22 billion paid for all those 3G licences looks like a bit of a mistake now, huh?