Doubts Over Intel's WiMAX Service Pricing Claim

Ian Lamont writes "An Intel executive has suggested in a blog post that WiMAX could lead to massive savings on broadband Internet, mobile voice, and mobile data service prices. His post lists a WiMAX-based package of services including home broadband, mobile voice and broadband, home phone service (including international) and even video phone service for $50 to $100 total. It sounds great, but unfortunately for Intel and consumers, it's unlikely to happen any time soon, thanks to factors ranging from costly WiMAX buildouts to the telcos' lucrative business models based on existing wired and 2.5G/3G infrastructures. There are also questions about WiMAX's actual range following a messy Australian rollout, although the vendor there claims the Australian service provider under-provisioned the network."

Comments

Re:Hard for WiMAX NOT to be cheaper.

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

Anyway, because of how business works, WiMax is doomed to fail. If it's being touted as a cure for any current ills, I guarantee that it will fail. That marketing speak is the same as the run up to the war with Iraq. All lies and falsely reported intel. Yeah. Just the other day I saw Colin Powell in an Intel Wi-Max commercial pushing the idea of mobile wi-max labs on trucks that would be almost impossible to find.

Re:WiMAX isn't magic. It's just another kinda radi

[Brett Glass]

Believe it or not, properly engineered 802.11a has the same or better range, throughput, and scalability.