Mobile Internet: the wireless convergence

World Wide WiMax

WiMax is a wireless telecommunications technology that is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard. Governed by the WiMax Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote the development of a WiMax standard, the technology has applications in high-speed data and telecommunications, as well as presenting a wireless alternative for last mile broadband access.

Already, the technology has received great attention in developing nations and countries such as China, Russia and Tanzania.

Last October, networking giant Cisco announced two initiatives aimed at bringing high-speed broadband access to consumers and businesses in emerging countries.

Called "Country Transformation" and "Digital Inclusion", the projects are expected to make use of the company's wireless portfolio of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi mesh and mobile WiMax products to drive the provision of wireless broadband in developing areas.

Canadian broadband and wireless product and services vendor Redline Communications has launched a Tanzanian WiMax network in a partnership with African service provider, Hotspot Business Solutions. The network debuted in November 2007 to service the Tanzania's commercial centre in Dar es Salaam, and is expected to be expanded to cover six major cities nationwide.

In Taiwan, officials announced in October last year that the island will spend $664 million in a WiMax development program in efforts to garner the lion's share of WiMax manufacturing.

Also in motion are plans for an island-wide Mobile WiMax network, called the M(mobile)-Taiwan program.

As voice and data telecommunications services converge, Airspan's Stepa expects WiMax to be a convenient, portable alternative to the local loop copper network in Australia.

"What we're seeing in Australia is a proliferation in the deployment of fixed and nomadic wireless broadband services," he said.

"Once a wireless service is in place, it is an easy next step to deliver a converged suite of services that include traditional Internet and VoIP."

The penetration of WiMax in Australia is championed by Internet Service Providers such as Internode and Unwired.

In January this year, Internode launched what it claimed to be the first region-wide wireless broadband service in Australia to use WiMax. The service delivers speeds of up to 6 Mbps in specific areas near Adelaide, and is targeted towards people unable to get ADSL because they live too far from a telephone exchange.

Unwired's Sydney-based wireless network was launched in 2004. In August 2005, the company received a $37 million investment from Intel for the promotion of mobile WiMax in Australia. Unwired currently is working with Intel, Samsung, Motorola, Navini and Alcatel to bring Mobile WiMax technology to Australia.

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