In many ways, the WiMAX ecosystem is one of the most important aspects of the power of the technology. Much like an environmental ecosystem that inspired its name, the viability of WiMAX in general will depend on the interaction of many firms delivering different, but crucial aspects of the solution to the market.

Just like a marine ecosystem has numerous plant, fish, coral and even water conditions that affect life for all, the WiMAX ecosystem consists of standards bodies, chip vendors, radio manufacturers, systems integrators, software developers, trade groups and even the media to address various aspects of the technology. For WiMAX to succeed the over 330 current members of the WiMAX Forum™ must act in concert to develop, produce, certify, promote and deliver a quality product.

Just at the chip level, the variety of companies delivering solutions ranging from the OFDMA™ technology being used in Mobile WiMAX to a wide variety of system-on-a-chip silicon providers, offer the variety of support and implementation strategies that will either ensure or fail to ensure that the technology supports the range of optional features that will garner customer attention.

The various radio vendors and their most direct partners, the system integrators, deliver unique solutions tailored to the various market niches that offer opportunity to them and their service provider customers. Both fulfill specific roles within the ecosystem.

The WiMAX ecosystem is a crucial element of success for this technology. The widespread quantity and quality of the companies supporting WiMAX in their various ecosystem roles is a major reason that the market place has taken the technology so seriously. It is also the industry’s greatest hope for success.

The past year (2006) in particular has seen a large number of chip vendor and radio vendor alliances to develop and deploy enhanced products. The synergies appear to be increasing rather than consolidating, so look for expansion on the vendor side in the short run with natural consolidation in a few years.