Fixed Wireless Broadband Will Challenge the Dominance of Cable Modem and DSL Technologies, Says Allied Business Intelligence
OYSTER BAY, N.Y., March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- While the small office/home office (SOHO) world is getting wired mainly through cable modems and DSL connections, a strong challenger to this duopoly is emerging from the fixed broadband space, according to a new study from Allied Business Intelligence (ABI). Multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) and broadband wireless access (BWA) manufacturers and service providers are poised for exponential growth; subscribers to fixed broadband services will exceed 13 million in 2006.
Broadband wireless access technologies, such as MMDS and 3.5 GHz applications, are in the midst of a massive technological shift. Technologies that are optimized for non line-of-sight environments, a key issue for growth, are now being introduced. In doing so, they are potentially redefining the value and the capabilities of MMDS/BWA platforms. They are also boosting wireless' ability to become a legitimate competitor to cable modem and DSL technologies, potentially grabbing between 20% and 30% of the world's broadband subscribers.
"The fact remains that DSL and cable modems globally have not met the high demand for broadband services," said ABI VP of Communication Technologies Andy Fuertes, the author of the report.
The BWA community is left with considerable uncertainty. In particular, US MMDS operators are threatened by potential relocation by the FCC for third generation (3G) cellular technologies. Non line-of-sight (N-LoS) equipment, though appealing, is technically unavailable in mass quantities and is untested. There are about a dozen different N-LoS solutions, and it is not clear which solution will be adopted by the standards body and leading carriers. Suspicions are also high that certain leading carriers may attempt to use their spectrum for mobile purposes with only a limited fixed presence.
The study, "MMDS & Broadband Wireless Access: Market & Opportunities for Data Subscribers," looks at licensed broadband wireless technologies that operate beneath 10 GHz, which are mainly, though not exclusively, MMDS (2.5 GHz), 2.1 GHz to 2.3 GHz and 3.5 GHz. It considers the risks and opportunities for these technologies in both the, service and equipment markets and provides numerical estimates for these. World regional perspectives and breakdowns are also provided. This new MMDS study from ABI also compares MMDS and other BWA technologies to higher frequency LMDS, DSL and cable modem technologies. |
