WiMax Folded Into 3G 'Family'

Andrew Donoghue writes "ZDNet UK is reporting that although WiMax and 3G have been battling it out as rival broadband wireless technologies, WiMax has effectively been folded into 3G's future development, after the International Telecommunication Union decided to include it in the IMT-2000 set of standards. 'An auction is to be held next year in which spectrum around the 2.6GHz band -- which is usable for both 3G and mobile WiMax -- will be sold off on a technology-neutral basis. It remains to be seen what the implications of Friday's announcement are for that auction but, as the investments already made in 3G infrastructure had been a major detrimental factor for WiMax, its inclusion in IMT-2000 has the potential to shake up the entire argument.'"

Comments

Important differences....

[postbigbang]

Unlike the two segments that are used for IEEE 802.11b/g and then 802.11a, WiMax can have several modes and several bands to use. A software defined radio might one day be a solution, but WiMax has a long way to go before it'll be used like b/g/a as it's 1) licensed spectra and 2) subject to the whims, fortunes, and insanity of various telcos and 3G providers.

So a 3G/Wimax chip's not going to do much good for a few years, where a WiFi/3G chip makes sense, except fo the horrid security in WiFi.

Re:Important differences....

[Ryandav]

So, you are completely and totally wrong that WiMAX is some marketing dream. There are significant market deployments of thousands and thousands of people using pre-WiMAX or WiMAX ready gear today, right now, in over 50 cities in the United States alone (http://clearwire.com). There are beta services based on the absolute latest IEEE standard happening overseas in many countries that are already cash-flow positive. There are successful true WiMAX trials happening RIGHT NOW (which means gear is on the poles) in some metropolitan areas that are service large populations as we speak.

This isn't vaporware, WiMAX is for reals; If you don't realize it's coming down like a freight train on the currently limited choice broadband situation in the US, you're going to be surprised in a year or two.