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Technology Stocks : The *NEW* Frank Coluccio Technology Forum

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To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (25618)	3/6/2008 6:41:52 PM
From: Rob S.	Read Replies (2) of 46821

Sprint's WiMAX network will be more open than 3G networks: the devices will be basically open, ie. Sprint will allow any WiMAX certified device to be used. The WiMAX Forum is responsible for certifications and compatibility testing between vendors. Sprint has their own testing labs that help speed the certifications for the systems and devices that they and their partners will offer. But any device that is certified can log onto and be authorized on the network provided the user has subscribed to the service. Besides device access, there is service and QoS access that can vary from basic connectivity/bandwidth to higher levels of QoS and services including VoIP, GPS-mapping and IPTV. WiMAX is much like the rest of the Internet: services run on top of the IP network connectivity. For 3G handsets, some services such as MediaFlo IPTV uses a separate network that is available in only part of the overall coverage area. Verizon is one example. IPTV on WiMAX can come over existing Internet services or can be developed as optimized servers tied closely to the WiMAX network that can help reduce bandwidth congestion and other performance issues. Operators of wireless networks are in business to make money. WiMAX could be offered as a 'dumb pipe' broadband mobile service but that would not make much sense for either the operator or many users. Although some users may wish to use WiMAX as a 'wireless DSL' service, as a mobile service there is more demand for higher reliability or mobile connections, larger coverage areas, and more types of services. Many people will probably figure out how to get services that ride 'over the top' of basic broadband service such as GPS-mapping for free or low cost. Google will offer Google Maps and Earth programs, however I don't know what their arrangement will be with Sprint. Since devices can include built-in GPS sensors, I expect that people will figure out how to get around the need to tap into Sprint GPS/triangulation through the value-add API/SDK. But you can expect Sprint to tier their service packages to include this with other services to appeal to many if not most customers. A basic premise is that a flat, all IP multi-service network can provide service plans that allow users to connect via multiple devices at a price that is competitive with the combination of mobile phone and wired or wireless broadband access. Sprint says tha tit is costing them 1/10th what it would cost to provide similar coverage and bandwidth density using the latest 3G technologies. I suspect that is partly market positioning hype. But WiMAX is clearly 1/5-1/3 the cost of deploying HSPA or EVDO with similar coverage and bandwidth. Whatever the details, this provides a framework to offer very cost competitive broadband based services. (btw, VoIP is not broadband and Smartphone resolution IPTV only requires about 240k bps - these are more dependent on low latency and jitter) The vision, is summed up in this 'eye candy' video: youtube.com The piece is fanciful at this point but the multi-device service agreement aspect will be offered starting with the basic service agreement. Getting the services to sync up nearly as slick as shown in the video will be a software miracle waiting to happen.

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