HANDS ON GUIDE

WiMax

Always around tomorrow's corner.

WiMAX, in case you're trying to place it, was the technology that was supposed to make WiFi and 3G mobile networks obsolete.

With the arrival of WiMAX, we were promised the benefits of 40MB/sec broadband speeds within 10km of a base station, on every compatible PC, laptop and handheld device. WiMAX's biggest proponent, Intel, has been planning to introduce WiMAX into mainstream products for the past couple of years, so why has it not taken off in the UK yet?

If you live in Milton Keynes or some areas around Warwick, WiMAX might be available (although you then have the problem of finding a device that supports it). Only six other UK cities have plans to roll out services. Unfortunately, WiMAX has been stalled by existing 3G operators, who paid an enormous sum of cash for a 3G licence, and have done everything they can to delay auctions of the WiMAX radio spectrums.

However, there are also technical issues. WiMAX speeds fall the more a base station is shared, and range and performance are also affected by weather and tall buildings. In Australia, trials by the wireless carrier Buzz Broadband stalled due to the technology failing to work reliably indoors at distances of more than 2km. This doesn't mean that WiMAX is a total lame duck. Some people still see WiMAX as an option for rural communities which are starved of a high-speed broadband connection, or as a potential backup plan for business users, but will it be replace all other wireless networks? We wouldn't bet on it.

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