The Definitive Guide to the Broadband Wireless Industry: WiMax, WiFi and 4G Cellular

The Definitive Guide to the Broadband Wireless Industry: WiMax, WiFi and 4G Cellular

There are many definitions and understandings of what is wireless broadband technology. There are those professionals that claim 3G is wireless broadband and other claim that something called 4G is wireless broadband. The criteria for wireless broadband technology can be generalized in the form of the services. The end user ultimately decides with their money what they consider to be acceptable for their use. Wireless broadband services can be generalized to mean those services that support a variety of multimedia content at varying data rates from low speed (less than T1) to as high as optical data rates. Yes this is a very general description but if nearly 60 years (combined) in this business has taught these authors anything is that nothing is static and that flexibility in views is important.

The question you need to ask yourself is: “What wireless access technologies will enable the user to experience a high quality visual and audio experience that will result in them paying you lots of money”. Not a very scientific definition but money is what it is all about else all of these vendors we are describing in this book are doing this for free.

This publication represents a compilation of research originally published in December 2006 that addresses the market place, the business drivers and the competition of the three major broadband wireless technologies with part one covering WiMax, part two WiFi, and the final section covering 4G cellular.

About the Authors 2

Wireless Broadband Services 6

“The WiMax Industry” 7

Part One of Three 7
1. Introduction 7

2. The Vendors Perspective - WiMax 7
a. Vendor Profiles 8
b. Specialized Vendors 12

3. The Sprint Verses Verizon WiMax Model 16
a. Key Features and Functions 16
b. Network Deployment Plans 17

4. The Clearwire WiMax Model 21
a. Key Features and Functions 21
b. Deployment Plans 22

5. The Korean, SK Telecom, Samsung WiMax Model 22
a. Key Features and Functions 22
b. Deployment Plans 23

6. ZTE- China’s WiMax Model 24
a. Key Features and Functions 24
b. Deployment Plans 24

7. Test & Certification - WiMax Products 25
a. WiMax Forum™ 25
b. Telecordia and Sprint Laboratories 27

8. Standards Impact - WiMax 28
a. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 28
b. International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 28

9. Costs Impact - WiMax 30
a. Terminal Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) 30
b. WiMax Infrastructure 31

10. Market Analysis 32
a. Estimated Subscriber Growth 2007-2012 33
b. US Internet Market Value Forecast 2006-2010 34
c. Handset Sales Comparison 35
d. Ecosystems 35

11. Technical References 37

“The Wi-Fi Industry” 38

Part Two of Three 38
1. Introduction 38

2. The Vendor’s Perspectives 39
a. Vendor Profiles 40

3. The Wi-Fi Model - Alverno Mobility 47

4. The Wi-Fi Model - T-Mobile Wi-Fi-Seattle (UMA) 48

5. The Wi-Fi Model - AT&T Enterprise Mobility 50

6. San Francisco and Santa Clara Wi-Fi Models 51

7. Test & Certification – Wi-Fi Products 53
A. Performance Testing Outlined 53
B. The Wi-Fi Alliance 54
C. CTIA Test and Certification 54
D. Tolly Group Test and Certification 55

8. Standards Impact – Wi-Fi 55
a. International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 56
b. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 57

9. Costs Impact – Wi-Fi 57
a. Terminal Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) 57
b. Infrastructure “Steps To A Successful Wireless Broadband Network” 59

10. Market Analysis 63
a. Market Drivers and Revenue Forecasts 63
B. The Pros & Cons “Wi-Fi Profitability” 65
C. WiMAX & 4G Markets 67

11. Technical Reference “Face-Off 4G vs. WiMAX vs. Wi-Fi” 67

“The 4G Industry” 69

Part Three of Three 69
1. Introduction 69

2. 4G Overview 69

3. 4G Implementation & Methodologies 72

4. 4G Developments 72
a. 4G Service Applications 73
b. 4G Wireless Network Comparisons 75

5. Wi-Fi Developments 76

6. WiMAX Developments 79

7. Convergence, Consolidation and Compromise 81

8. 4G Vendor Ecosystems 82
a. Access Point Equipment - Base Station Revenue Forecasts 83
b. Handheld Phones, Chip Sets (Embedded) Forecasts 85

9. MVNO - The Driving Factor 85
a. The Successful MVNO Industry Sector 86
b. 4G MVNE Industry Sector 87

10. Market Analysis 88
a. Challenges 88
b. Advertising Revenue Forecasts 89

11. Conclusion 89

Summary and Conclusion 92