WiMAX has to overpass the powerful cellular competitors it has on the developed markets to gain foothold

Jul 4, 2008 08:05 GMT  ·  By

Cantab Wireless published an analysis according to which Mobile WiMAX may have only small chances of spreading widely on the mature mobile broadband markets. Still, the same analysis says that the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) countries, mainly India, will adopt WiMAX technology in the future.

According to Cantab Wireless, the Mobile WiMAX technology is a powerful one, but it does not have the strength to fulfill all the expectations placed upon it. Mature telecommunications markets already have the technology that does the job, the 3G cellular networks, and this is a powerful competitor to WiMAX. It seems that Mobile WiMAX is not able to make the move to the fourth generation of mobile telecommunications in terms of performance, although its promoters claimed so.

At best, Mobile WiMAX technology can be compared to 3.5G cellular systems in performance, but facts say that it falls behind some of its competitors in some given areas. Another very important fact is that 3.5G operates in numerous cellular networks, as it has already been launched, while Mobile WiMAX is still expected to become operational on a wide range on the developed markets.

The research firm says that, given the facts, Mobile WiMAX will not spread too much on the developed markets. It also added that the situation is different when it comes to the developing markets. Those areas lack cellular broadband services such as 3G, so they are practically nonexistent for the technologies available at this moment. This way, the fast developing countries would represent a good market for Mobile WiMAX, so the promoters should focus on them.

The BRIC countries fit into this area perfectly. Today, many developing states have already fixed WiMAX to replace the cable technology, like Pakistan and India, so these areas could prove promising markets as there is a starting point for the Mobile WiMAX deployment.