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Broadband wireless standards spur subscriber growth
Improved access to Internet content, a larger selection of devices, and lower infrastructure costs convince operators to invest in WiMAX.
The broadband wireless access (BWA) industry has grown significantly in the
last few years due to increased availability of spectrum for commercial services
and the desire to close the digital divide. A major shift from the
industry has been the migration towards standards-based products. A recent
Fierce Broadband Wireless article provided data on
WiMAX subscriber figures. The statistics, assembled by market research
firm Maravedis, are worth examining in more detail to see the transformation
taking shape.
Ranked by the number of subscribers as of March 2008, the five largest BWA/WiMAX
operators are:
Three of the five operators (Clearwire, Unwired, and Irish Broadband) use
proprietary BWA equipment, one uses 802.16-2004 equipment (Iberbanda), and one
has deployed 802.16e-2005 (KT). As standards-based networks dominate new
network builds, the number of device vendors per network operator is also
increasing. The vendors for the top five operators include: Alvarion,
Cisco Systems, CMOTECH, LG Electronics, Motorola, MODACOM, Myungmin Systems,
POSDATA, RAON Digital and Samsung.
Mobile WiMAX is starting to roll out in more countries and is expected to be a
larger percentage of total subscribers in the next 2-3 years. While KT has
garnered over 145,000 subscribers to its WiBro service based on 802.16e-2005,
the next largest deployment of mobile WiMAX is Wateen Telecom in Pakistan that
has only deployed 9,500 of the 198,000 CPE ordered from Motorola.
The largest wireless ISP in the world, Clearwire, has more subscribers than the
next four BWA/WiMAX operators combined. The majority of its user base
relies on the desktop modem from its former equipment subsidiary, NextNet, which
is now part of Motorola's operations. PC Cards and VoIP services are now
part of the portfolio. The operator is expected to launch its first
commercial WiMAX network (using Motorola's 802.16e-2005 radios) in Portland,
Oregon before the end of the year. Regulatory approval to form a joint
venture with Sprint Nextel to launch a nationwide WiMAX service in the US is
eagerly anticipated. A successful joint venture would catapult Clearwire
into a unique position as the only fixed wireless network operator to transition
into a mobile carrier.
Mobile broadband access, where individuals have a device that connects them to
the Internet, is driving rapid adoption as witnessed by the uptake of new
services by operators like KT. This trend will continue as more countries
launch networks before the decade is finished. Standards are at the root
of this movement, whether it be called WiMAX, LTE, or 4G. This is an
exciting time for the market and wireless communications.
By Jeff Orr, ORR Technology, LLC
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