Report on WiMAX
The OECD has released a lengthy report on the state of WiMAX (PDF).
It was interesting to see a close to comprehensive comparison between countries on various metrics regarding WiMAX. Clearly at odds with most of the other countries in the report was the United States.
I have been deploying last mile microwave since 2000 and last fall began deploying what WiLAN termed 'pre-WiMAX' equipment (recently WiLAN announced their exit from the hardware game to focus on their WiMAX patent portfolio).
WiMAX has clearly been overhyped by the media spurred by early poor communications from the WiMAX Forum (my company, MetroBridge, was the first Canadian carrier accepted in to the Forum).
I am beyond confident that WiMAX (last mile microwave, truly) is one of the major events to happen this decade in the tech world. Operators (whether ISP, cellular, municipalities...) now have a window to be on board with WiMAX or be left behind.
This week I speak at WiNOG in Austin on improving ARPU for last mile microwave connections. I hope to introduce major differentiators that show why companies/groups like General Electric, Intrawest, 911, Suzuki and GM use our connectivity as their primary connection for their operations.
Exciting and revolutionary times.
Comments
Can you offer any suggestions for us broadband-starved folks in "edge" areas not served by Cable or Telco (DSL) companies? Given that my neighborhood (and many like it here in the semi-rural areas surrounding D.C.) is mostly $750,000+ houses, it seems to me that there would be a huge opportunity for a provider who could make something like WiMAX work.
Posted by: Jeff Helman | March 13, 2006 6:42 AM
Jeff,
Without knowing a bunch of details about your situation I would suggest a co-op angle if you cannot find a local WISP.
Put together the one time and recurring costs to bring wireless broadband to X number of homes in your area. Plan well and call a community meeting to propose the plan. Show that as each homeowner comes on board the costs to all go down. Each homeowner would 'own' a part of the co-op.
BTW, one secret is to 'go far' for your upstream. That is, don't just buy a local T1 from your incumbent telco...go 20, 40 or even several hundred miles to get a cost effective 10Mb/s or faster circuit and bring it to your area all on microwave. Pretty amazing the stuff you can actually do.
Before you know it you'll be branching out in to other communities!
Dorian
Posted by: Dorian Banks | March 13, 2006 9:55 AM
Thanks, Dorian. I thought along these lines initially, but I was trying to avoiding being dragged into this business.
Armed with your suggested refinements, I'll give it another round of noodling. Thanks again.
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff Helman | March 15, 2006 6:28 PM
Hi Dorian,
What do you make of xMax? I've been looking into alternative wireless broadband solutions for South Africa and if it performs on what it promises it could answer alot problems in developing nations.
Last question how do smaller businesses/entrepreneurs bring such technologies in as I know for one the big guys (tel co's/cellular co's) would have to first buy licenses for WiMax right? Could xMax jump around that (by operating in unlicensed spectrum)? Tks.
Posted by: Brett | July 12, 2006 2:33 PM