The Role of WiMAX in the Municipal Network

Municipal wireless has received a bad name after aborted attempts to launch city-wide Wi-Fi services, primarily in the US. Not since enterprise IT managers learned of vulnerabilities in early Wi-Fi security protocols did such a stigma hover over the wireless industry

By Jeff Orr, Senior Analyst - Consumer Electronics

Contact the author at jeff@maravedis-bwa.com

Municipal wireless has received a bad name after aborted attempts to launch city-wide Wi-Fi services, primarily in the US. Not since enterprise IT managers learned of vulnerabilities in early Wi-Fi security protocols did such a stigma hover over the wireless industry. The lack of a sound business plan, not the technologies, is the primary issue with municipal wireless.

Operators who survived the free Wi-Fi hype are augmenting business plans for municipal services. Edge services such as Wi-Fi are being deployed where existing network infrastructure is already in place rather than building entirely new networks. The emergence of WiMAX products could trigger resurgence in microwave systems to enhance the communications capabilities and operating efficiencies of local government.

The use of broadband wireless systems is not new. Municipal governments have been utilizing these technologies for decades to connect facilities and provide business continuity. The value of emerging standards-based, point-to-multipoint systems include:

• Less network infrastructure – reduced complexity; fewer suppliers to manage; time to market

• Lower-cost infrastructure – recurring monthly telecom charges shift to greater percentage of investment on applications and services

• Deployment flexibility – a connection may not exist today, but could be installed next week or on an on-demand basis

• Create direct WAN connections to business users – enforce security, quality and service level agreements, instead of using a best-effort LAN service

Applications for WiMAX equipment in the municipal network include fixed infrastructure and emergency response. Facilities, agencies, and services connect using microwave in place of or in addition to leased copper and fiber optics circuits. Dynamic networks are possible for use as a command center, during disaster recovery and video surveillance projects. The network is easily disassembled when done for redeployment at the next site.

Azulstar, a wireless ISP and pioneer in city-wide Wi-Fi networks, recently announced the addition of WiMAX to its bag of cost-reducing tricks. “WiMAX dramatically improves the economics, performance and reliability of municipal wireless,” said Tyler van Houwelingen, Azulstar founder and CEO. The service provider operates networks across 15 cities in the mid- and southwest US including Grand Rapids, MI and Albuquerque, NM. Grand Haven, MI is the first to undergo the upgrade to WiMAX. Radios from Airspan Networks and Redline Communications will replace leased T-1 circuits and enable direct connections to business customers instead of best-effort Wi-Fi service.

US service providers see value in the recently opened 3.65 GHz and underutilized 5.4 GHz frequency bands. The 3.65 GHz allocation operates under a light-licensed program from the FCC. Redline and Airspan were the first two equipment vendors to receive regulatory approval to sell products in this band, with more vendors expected to enter the race during 2008. These products are based on IEEE 802.16-2004 or 802.16e-2005 technical standards; however no official WiMAX Forum certification profiles for 3.65 or 5.4 GHz exist. Product interoperability amongst vendors is not expected.

An opportunity for equipment manufacturers is to continue radio integration into simpler solutions. Airspan Networks offers a WiMAX subscriber station with a Wi-Fi access point built in. Proxim Wireless took this even further by combining a WiMAX subscriber station, a Wi-Fi mesh radio and an access point into a single enclosure. This convergence reduces the number of boxes mounted on a lamp post, while increasing deployment flexibility. Additional standards are in development to help in designing municipal networks. Future mesh products will likely incorporate the IEEE 802.11s standard, while the 802.16j committee is looking at relays for similar applications using WiMAX air protocols.

WiMAX technologies are complementary to Wi-Fi and cellular in the municipal network. Initial stand-alone vendor solutions are giving way to increased integration between the last mile and edge of the network. Over time, as mobile WiMAX and IP-centric mobile communications protocols including LTE become more widely available, one can argue that these connections could obviate the need for outdoor LAN technologies all together. Whether providing a complementary solution, offering higher integration and cost-savings, or a complete alternative to LAN technologies, WiMAX has an increasingly important role in the municipal wireless network.

For more information you can contact the author: jeff@maravedis-bwa.com