New technologies emerging in mobile broadband arena
Joy Ghanekar
Issue date: 1/16/06 Section: Technology
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The first time I read about "WiBRO," I thought it was a new Starbucks coffee drink aimed at the Silicon Valley digerati. It turns out that WiBRO is the South Korean version of an emerging broadband wireless technology called WiMAX and is one of many standards being promoted as the technology of choice for high-speed mobile access in what is becoming a key battle between chipset makers, equipment vendors, and mobile operators. The MobileBroadband panel, as part of the FutureTech conference being held at Ross on January 26 and 27, will explore this topic in further detail. This year's overarching theme, "Bridging the Gap - The Always Connected World," fits nicely into our discussion on mobile broadband. The panel will provide an interesting forum for speakers and their audiences to engage in a lively discussion on the technology trends and business decisions that will shape the mobile landscape. This article attempts to navigate through acronym clutter and present some key trends.
WiMAX
As Intel tries to move away from the slow growing PC business and enter the lucrative mobile networking market, it has bet heavily on WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access). WiMAX is a wireless broadband access solution that can provide speeds up to 30Mbps over distances ranging from three to 30 miles. According to an Intel study, the first phase will be fixed WiMAX, a cost-effective replacement for cable and DSL, aimed at residential and business customers in urban areas and underserved rural markets. Intel has created a WiMAX ecosystem through partnerships and investments to showcase real world demonstrations of this technology. There are a number of WISPs (Wireless Internet Service Providers) such as Towerstream who are currently offering WiMAX services in large cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Boston. One of the speakers on the Mobile Broadband panel, Nina Krietemeyer, is the founder and CEO of AeroWire Communications, Inc., a provider of wireless broadband services to business in the Great Lakes region. A Northern Sky Research Study predicts that by 2010, there will be 12.4 million WiMAX subscribers worldwide. But it is the mobile version of WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e standard), that has gathered recent attention as a simpler, cost-effective alternative to cellular.
WiMAX
As Intel tries to move away from the slow growing PC business and enter the lucrative mobile networking market, it has bet heavily on WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access). WiMAX is a wireless broadband access solution that can provide speeds up to 30Mbps over distances ranging from three to 30 miles. According to an Intel study, the first phase will be fixed WiMAX, a cost-effective replacement for cable and DSL, aimed at residential and business customers in urban areas and underserved rural markets. Intel has created a WiMAX ecosystem through partnerships and investments to showcase real world demonstrations of this technology. There are a number of WISPs (Wireless Internet Service Providers) such as Towerstream who are currently offering WiMAX services in large cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Boston. One of the speakers on the Mobile Broadband panel, Nina Krietemeyer, is the founder and CEO of AeroWire Communications, Inc., a provider of wireless broadband services to business in the Great Lakes region. A Northern Sky Research Study predicts that by 2010, there will be 12.4 million WiMAX subscribers worldwide. But it is the mobile version of WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e standard), that has gathered recent attention as a simpler, cost-effective alternative to cellular.
