802.16e Mobile WiMax Slippage
>> Mobile WiMax Coming Soon?
Dan Jones
Unstrung
11.17.05
tinyurl.com
A research note put out by Lehman Brothers today suggests that a mobile WiMax standard may be "set in early 2006" yielding trials in the second half of 2006 and on into 2007.
The analysts forecast the timelime for mobile WiMax after a customer meeting with equipment maker Alvarion Ltd. (Nasdaq: ALVR).
"With respect to upcoming technology timelines, Alvarion estimates the 802.16e standard [the core of Mobile WiMax] will be certified in the first quarter of 2006 with demo products available in 2006," write wireless equipment analysts Jeff Kvaal and Tim Luke in the note.
This is expected to lead to trials in 2007 with commercial deployments in 2008
The ratification of the 802.16e standard is the first big step on the road to mobile WiMax. Folks at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE) were suggesting that it would be done towards the end of September, but the trail went a little cold after that. (See "802.16e Spec Nears Completion" below).
Of course, interoperability testing by the WiMAX Forum also takes time. The first certified fixed WiMax (802.16d) products aren't now expected before the end of this year or on into the next. <<
>> 802.16e Spec Nears Completion
Justin Springham
Unstrung
09.13.05
tinyurl.com
The final version of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE)’s 802.16e standard may be ratified by the end of this month, a move that would open the way for future mobile WiMax services.
“It has been completed and sent out for, hopefully, a final recirculation about one hour ago,” wrote Brian G. Kiernan, chair of the 802.16e Task Group, in an email note to Unstrung yesterday. “If that recirc goes clean, we are done. We’ll know in two weeks.”
In contrast to fixed WiMax products, which are based on the IEEE's 802.16-2004 standard and are expected for commercial launch in the first half of next year, mobile WiMax is focused on portable and mobile broadband services. Certification testing and product availability is slated for the second half of 2006 at the earliest. Industry speculation suggests the standard will be officially named 802.16-2005.
The mobile WiMax market has already caught the attention of both incumbent network vendors and startups. A number of cellular network vendors -- such as LG Electronics Inc., Motorola Inc., Nokia Corp., Nortel Networks Ltd., and Samsung Corp. -- have chosen to bypass the fixed-wireless WiMax market and instead hold out for mobile WiMax services. Meanwhile, newcomers such as Adaptix Inc. and Runcom Technologies Ltd. are focusing specifically on this sector .
Despite such support, the future success of mobile WiMax services remains uncertain. Earlier this year an Unstrung Insider report claimed that market developments and competing technologies could strangle the potential of 802.16e products by the time such kit is finally available . Last month Unstrung readers also expressed concerns over a realistic timeframe for commercial network launches. <<
- Eric - |
