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| Forum On this page, we bring you some of the interesting discussions with our comments as they sweep across the WiMAX world. These include the network performances,growth projections, investment levels etc. CTIA 2009 Is it the Spectrum or the Technology which is giving in? A Window for Eco-friendly Technologies? The CTIA 2009 was all about spctrum this time.The industry collectively demanded over 900 MHz of spectrum and by every account it is now believed that the spectrm is giving in. This is despite unprecedented allocations in the recent past of BRS,AWS and the WCS spectrum amongst others. It is interesting to read that we are facing a spectrum shortage and that one of the reasons for it is just the 8 million iPhones and some more smartphones in the market, which have started to soak up the bandwidth and the spectrum. This makes it simplistic to understand and it is easy to believe that we are running out of spectrum. That may be easy to believe, but unfortunately, complicated to understand that we may also be running out of innovative technologies which may do better with spectrum. The battle cry of spectrum running out was raised in the 1990’s when the analog cellular systems running at 30 KHz each had soaked up all the spectrum with not only a million users. Once the GSM and CDMA technologies came in, nothing much was heard on spectrum till recently, when the data services, once so sought after by the carriers actually took hold. So are we once again at the footsteps of another technology to deliver us from the spectrum woes? Yes, we are, and even though we may not be able to rot our brains enough to come up with what it is, it is not far. The real problem is that the large operators always grow organically and have the least inclination to delve into innovative technologies, and with the exponential growth that we have seen so far, the spectrum shortage is natural. A similar situation was foreseen in the early days of internet when internet streaming was being done without the benefit of Content delivery Networks (or Content mirrors at network edge). It was sincerely believed that even a million users will lead to the collapse of the internet if they started streaming from the same source. Of course nothing of the sort happened as the CDN technologies came in naturally. The P2P networks and technologies like Bit Torrent create similarly efficient network infrastructures, though it is another matter that we have yet not developed sufficient expertise to allow them to operate securely. But it is now known that content need not be carried around recklessly if an appropriate architecture for the same is available. This requires intelligent network infrastructures, beyond what we have today. But with largely monopolistic control of the markets, few are willing to gamble on such infrastructures. Wi-Fi is another technology, which rose very quickly into prominence. This is an eco-friendly technology in the sense that the size of the Wi-Fi “spots” are relatively small and the same footprint of frequency of about 100 MHz is used across the nation. With a proper backhaul, such as with Fibres or with WiMAX, it is possible to enable data services on a much larger scale than is possible today. The FCC has been well aware of it and has in place a roaming arrangement for the wireless ISPs. But the issue is that the mobile operators see the Wi-Fi networks as “external” and go to great lengths so that the customers continue to use the mobile networks for data. Even the UMA ( or generic network access) which allows interoperability between the Wi-Fi and the 3G networks routes the data through 3G switches. The 3G switches themselves remain with legacy circuit switched architectures, with embedded gateways and signalling converters. An IP core is the objective but is not here yet. The 3G provides for multicast structures i.e. MBMS where a number of video streams can be multicast to thousands of users instead of thousands of streams being sent out from massive servers, each using up spectral resource. But there are virtually no implementations of MBMS so far. The next generation network (NGN) initiative of the ITU has is based on an IP core, but with the ITU parentage being of fixed line operators, it is still oriented towards these networks. There are few which have thought of the mobile wireless networks with an integrated IP core using IPv6 which can use the spectrum optimally with techniques such as Continuous packet Connectivity and P2P type of network architectures. Today we are lacking on both the fronts: the radio networks themselves, which are relatively inefficient and the network architectures right up to application level which have outlived their lives. We are not trying to say that “this is it” i.e. the mobile P2P is the answer or it is the femtocells which will enable extensive reuse. But we certainly have exhausted the technology which is driving the present networks. It is creating a Frankenstein’s Monster of the spectrum requirements and if the same technologies continue to be used, any amount of spectrum will bring up against a wall. In fact, this state of affairs has arisen when the real use of video streaming is still very limited due to the restrictions placed by the carriers, and the use of data while roaming overseas or even within the country is miniscule. The primary reason for this is that we are just at the beginning of the uptrend of the use of video, gaming, navigation and multimedia services. The growth trend should take us on a growth profile of well over a hundred times of the media that we use today, if it is not restricted by inefficient architectures. To be fair new architectures have been proposed by the 3GPP in the form of LTE, with speeds of 100 Mbps. But perhaps speed is not all that will be required. The granularity of the data use will be of primary importance, where a device, wireless enabled, will perhaps send a few bytes a day without making a call or a connection. WiMAX architectures are good for low data granularity but we will need to see far these networks are able to go against a foreboding competitor. There are numerous other examples of such technologies which took the capacities much beyond the projected growth within the same physical infrastructures such as the multimode optical fibers ( Transmission capacity is today never a limitation even on the heaviest routes). The spot beam Ka satellites is another example, but we will stop here as such examples are far too many. All that we can say is that new technology is the solution to the types of impasses which we now see in “spectrum shortage”. While we cannot predict the technology, we can begin to predict the trends which will perhaps constitute the elements of a future wireless network which will deliver much more in the resources we have today. For example, such a network will need to extensively depend on broadcast based deliveries where large base of users can be served for common content instead of millions of individual data streams. These may be in the form of FLO, ATSC M/H, MBMS or other technologies. Which one exactly is not important, but the elements will lie in mobile broadcasting. Secondly it will need to be able to deal with data streams of different types more intelligently. For VoIP the data packets are small but the periodicity required is high and latency small. For dormant wireless devices ( such as washing machines) the latency is of no value but the granularity required may be just a byte. The new architectures will need to more intelligently manage content as content now forms the bulk of what is transmitted on the networks. It may not be precisely p2p but close. We will also need network architectures which enable wireless devices to talk peer-to –peer because the use of such frequencies is ecologically more efficient. They do not impact a whole building or a city. The FCC will need to play a key role in such initiatives. The industry bodies such as CTIA are important but they represent the collective wishes of the larger players. It is the FCC, which mooted net neutrality, (which has not been to the liking of the established players, and yet to take off), but is the one which can give some innovative players to come up with something disruptive. So are we going to see a Malthusian disaster of ever growing demand and exhausting supplies? In a holistic model yes. But the heydays of such models never come as history is witness. As companies Such as Time Warner Launch 6 Mbps WiMAX, do the 2GB Caps look Good? Oct,2009 Time Warner cable is launching the fastest wireless internet service yet in select mrkets in North Carolina using Mobile WiMAX. Te service will be offered via USB modems working off the Clearwire WiMAX network. The service isbeing offered at $39.95 a month witha 2GB cap or unlimited downloads at $49.95 a month.The users need to be subscribers of Time Warner cable.It is great to have such a fast service which will deliver upto 6 Mbps. WiMAX also assures QoS, so once a service is set up, it will maintain a relaibly constant throughput unlike EV-DO or HSPA. If the average rate is 4 Mbps, you can download 24 MBytes in a minute, which starts to good look for streaming video or songs, or to download them.As WiMAX sees be delivered at better sppeds like 6 Mbps, the monthly caps of 2GB start to look funny.If one presumes that the average spped will be 4 mbps, or 24 MBytes a minute, a 1GB data transfer is reached in just 40 minutes.A 2GB limit gives less than three minutes of such connectivity a day. They also have an unlimited plan at $49.95 for cable subscribers, which looks much better.Then why bother offering plans for just 2GB? We hope that as the markets mature, more reasonable caps will be offered. 
Hongkong 2.5/ 2.3 Auctions -a wake up call for WiMAX auctions in India
WiMAX despite over 400 networks successfully rolled out is presently being buffeted by strong winds of a pessimism. Sample this- in the 2.5 GHz and 2.3 GHz auctions which were held in Hongkong in Jan 2009 by the OFTA the only bids which came in were for the 2.5 Ghz-2.6 GHz band. There were no bidders for the 2.3 GHz band which is a prime band for mobile WiMAX with WiMAX forum certified products being available. Not only that, the only successful bids in the 2.5-2.6 GHz band the bidders were mobile companies ( China Mobile HK, CSL and Genius Brand) and have not hidden their intention to use the potential spectrum for LTE. This is despite the fact that LTE, a technology evolution path of 3GPP is still at least 2-3 years away.
As India enters the auctions of 3G and WiMAX portions of spectrum later in March / April 2009, the results of auctions should be a wake up call. We have been pointing out repeatedly that while the air interfaces can be used for WiMAX, the companies are planning to use the LTE based technologies.
With the Indian govt and regulators having adopting an Ostrich like attitude believing that the WiMAX spectrum in the 2.3 and 2.5 Ghz bands would be used for growth of broadband wireless in the country, the reality will bite when the auctions are over with a probable repeat of the Hongkong results. The reserve prices of WiMAX spectrum fixed at 50% of 3G prices ( at appox $800 million for 3G and $400 million for WiMAX) making it well out of reach of broadband wireless operators. The only users which could possibly use this new spectrum in the 2.5 GHz bands are likely to be those using 3G-LTE technology. This is owing to the sever spectrum crunch for 2G services and the need to deploy additional spectrum for voice services by a multiplicity of players which makes any possible additional capacity attractive.
hence the policy makers should be under no illusion that just because they are auctioning certain spectrum as WiMAX, it will be used for anything other than LTE. But perhaps they are indeed aware of it. After all the 2.5 GHz band has been vacated by throwing to the wolves the existing WiMAX operators operating in this very band. http://www.wimaxbook.net
MWC 2009: An array of WiMAX Products but still a side show! Feb 18, 2009 The MWC 2009, as expected presented a rich array of WiMAX products. Owing to the nature of the event a majority of these were in fact WiMAX products in conjunction with GSM/3G handsets. Runcom ( along with Quantum Telecom) presented a preview of an ultra low cost GSM/WiMAX handset. It has an integrated WiMAX/GSM chipset,VoIP capability and can support data speeds of 10 Mbps. If this was not enough some carriers have declared skipping of 3G technologies altogether and go for GSM/WiMAX, CDMA/WiMAX or GSM evolution to LTE. This includes Sprint Nextel which has announced going for a CDMA/ WiMAX evolution to its present CDMA network. Korea Telecom (KT) also combines its EV-DO network with mobile WIMAX. This makes complete sense as going in for archaic architecture of 3G today would mean staying with old PSTN architectures for an additional 5-10 years. Yota in Russia already provides a GSM/WiMAX service which has been very successful. Other operators such as Scartel have jumped directly to 4G. The MWC 2009 was also eloquent on the spectrum shortages which are emerging for 3G and HSPA services and in this environment WiMAX presents an ideal broadband supplement to the existing GSM or CDMA networks.
In operator products Comsys mobile presented its handover capabilities between mobile WiMAX and GSM networks. Other products included Chipsets and WiMAX surveillance equipment.
WiMAX is however considered only a sideshow in the MWC. Narrowbanding WiMAX 5 Jan 2009 It appears that the Foggy weather in Delhi extends to much more than just atmosphere, certainly to the Foggy Policies and to the two ministries of Telecom and Finance which can not see each other eye to eye, obviously due to the Fog around. The Ministry of Finance has recommended the doubling of the reserve prices to $ 8 Billion for 3G and $ 4 Billion for WiMAX. Even though such events are quite common to policy watchers and hardly ruffle any feathers, this one takes the cake for a number of reasons.
In principle we are not opposed to the increase in reserve price for 3G, as it did appear to be priced low. But the entire process has raised many questions which in our opinion are more serious than the issues of corporate governance in Satyam which drew worldwide attention. Apparently the corporate governance in government which the entire process displays so far is at abysmal depths.
Firstly, there was a semblance of belief that the reserve prices which had been fixed had some basis, based on valuation, market sizes, planned services and ARPUs. Apparently this is not the case at all. The prices are just doubled. Obviously no one has a clue where they should be pegged. It could have been three times just as it is doubled or could have been halved.
Secondly, this places the cart before the horse and shows how the Telecom regulator is regarded. It is the TRAI which would have been normally expected to announce such figures, but it is now going to be asked to approve it. They will need to make up how it will relate to the 2G licenses or future tariffs. The TRAI has been crying hoarse even with 2G policy that they had recommended spectrum auction for new 2G operators. But words are being put in their mouth that they had recommended status quo of licensing regime. Apparently the consultative processes also do not count for much.
Thirdly the timing. Originally itself, the auctions were fixed straddling the new year and holiday season, which was a non-starter. They also came on the heels of the biggest financial meltdown and liquidity crisis the world has seen at least over the last 50 years. Even if the timing is excused, those who appeared in pre-bid meetings were aghast to find that no decision had been taken on the 2% administrative charges which TRAI had recommended. Nor there is any clarity on whether the new prices will be accepted by DOT or the TRAI, what is the valuation of reserve price per POP or how many blocks are actually available for auction.
Fourth, the WiMAX has somehow got tagged to 3G, though the players are different. For some reason, it must be priced at half the 3G price. If 3G is at $4 Billion, WiMAX is at $ 2 Billion. If 3G is at $ 8 Billion, WiMAX will rise to $ 4 Billion. This would be the highest for WiMAX in any country in the World for only two blocks of 30 MHz.
It was looking quite likely, but now it is certain, that the BWA spectrum can only be used for 4G or 3GPP-LTE services as the mobile operators can alone offer such high prices. The ISPs which had been demanding the spectrum were quite irritating anyway to the powers that be when the goodies are being delivered by Mobile operators. First their allotted spectrum in these bands was taken away. Then policy was modified deny VoIP to smaller ISPs. IPTV is languishing as the local loop has not been unbundled. Restrictions are being imposed on WiFi (can be excused for security). All may be fair but what is in store for Wireless broadband operators now? Which rural population will support an ISP which has spent $ 4 billion for a countrywide license? In addition the rollout of Mobile WiMAX will cost around $ 8 Billion for India. The $ 12 Billion now needed is more that even what the largest operator XOHM with hundreds of MHz of spectrum is spending. The only operators sitting pretty with the 3G/ WiMAX licenses, BSNL and MTNL have also to double the payment for spectrum which has been “ granted” to them. However this grant might prove so costly that they may have no funds for any rural networks. USA and other countries have been carving out other pieces of spectrum for Wireless Services such as the BRS and the WCS bands. This is after they have largely utilized the 700 MHz UHF and VHF bands. In India, in case the BWA spectrum gets used for 3GPP-LTE for commercial reasons of high auction prices, what is the fate of WiMAX? Despite all the hoopala and the welcome noises, has not the WiMAX been truly narrow banded?.
Indian Policies now recognize Mobile WiMAX as an alternative technology to 3G
Sept 12,2008 The newly announced changes to the 3G auction Policy and the WiMAX spectrum auctions now contains elements of recognition that WiMAX is not simply a way to extend wireless but an entirely viable and complete technology in itself. The recognition of the importance of WiMAX to be able to operate as an independent network providing voice, video and data services came in the form of doubling of the minimum reserve price for WiMAX auctions from Rs. 50.5 Billion ( $1.2Billion) to Rs 100.10 Billion ( $2.4 Billion).
Considering the runaway growth of mobile subscribers at over 10 million a month and the consequent shortage of spectrum has led to a wake up call to the government. The 3G, which at one stage was being intended to be given away to existing players at throwaway prices will now be auctioned to all players including foreign bidders, thus breaking a cozy club which had kept the prices artificially high for roaming and any form of value added services. The government and the regulator have also recognized the value of the WiMAX spectrum in the prime mobile WiMAX bands of 2.1, 2.3 and 2.5 GHz bands which is slated for auction in the near future. The new revised price is a reflection of the recognition of these bands for providing a range of mobile WiMAX based services including VoIP, broadband internet and video. It may be recalled that earlier in Aug 2008, the regulator had already recommended opening up of VoIP services, previously limited to only fixed line or mobile service licenses to ISPs as well. WiMAX, then had become a natural candidate for the ISPs to potentially provide all services including Mobile Voice using the WiMAX technologies. The new spectrum policy also opens up the 700 MHz band for WiMAX auctions, denying the plea of industry players to keep this band reserved for Terrestrial Digital TV. However, once auctioned the new WiMAX players are more than likely to use this band for WiMAX TV services. With capabilities of indoor reception and long cell sizes the band is ideally suited for WiMAX TV.
WiMAX bands of 2.3 and 2.5 GHz are the ones where certified WiMAX devices are already available or will be available by end of the year making these the prime bands for inexpensive deployment of mobile WiMAX networks with ready availability of user devices.
The importance of Mobile WiMAX spectrum and in particular the 2.5 GHz band has increased after the WRC’07 had adopted OFDMA-TDD as one of the approved air interfaces under the IMT2000 implying that the band can be used under the 3GPP architectures. However the initial deployments are likely to use WiMAX networks along with the IP Multimedia system (IMS) as defined under the 3GPP.
While the reserve prices are still a reasonable $2.4 Billion for the whole country, it is expected that the auction process will lead to a price discovery which is at least double of these prices, probably more. This also impacts the state run companies BSNL and MTNL as they need to pay for spectrum at the same rates as the highest bids received. This is likely to impact their cash flows in the absence of sale of equity unlike the private players. It also has the potential to bring new aggressive players who have started their life as ISPs to enter the lucrative mobile services market. New Regulations permitting Internet telephony in India: A revolutionary opportunity for WiMAX in India Aug 18,2008
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India ( TRAI), chose the occasion of the Independence day in India to let the Internet Service Providers ( ISPs) loose of the severe restrictions which permitted any form of internet telephony. ( See Amitabh Kumar: "Indian Telecoms: Critical Deviations in the Post WTO Era") The new regulations now allow ISPs to not only provide internet telephony but also connect to telephony switches in India and overseas in order to provide end to end telephony services. ( See TRAI recommendations relating to Internet Telephony). This changes , in its entirety the business model which the WIMAX operators had been going ahead with in the country. With only data revenues to count on the WiMAX, which is ideally suited for deployment primarily in rural areas, was essentially a non-viable proposition. Despite this serious handicap, high investments have been going in this sector just because any form of wireleless broadband can not be had in the vast hinterlands of the country for love or money. The business case for WiMAX operators just got stronger with telephony calls being permitted, which can form an important source of revenues in rural areas and also give the new wireless ISPs access to Universal Service Obligation funds.
The recommendations of the TRAI are quite unusual in as much as they signify a complete reversal of its stand wherein it had been holding forth strongly to the view that only the Universal Access Service licensees and Cellular mobile operators, which were otherwise entitled to provide the telephony services were the only ones which could also provide VoIP and Internet telephony services. However these licensees enjoying much higher ARPUs from standard telephony were not inclined to push Internet telephony even though they were enjoying corresponding benefits from overseas Internet telephony operators.
What this means now is that operators can lay an overlay WiMAX network and make their business plans centered around VoIP and telephony amongst other services. Coming just prior to the WiMAX spectrum announcement policy ( 3G spectrum is already announced), the new recommendations convey the serious intent of the TRAI in promoting broadband in the country, presently beset with one of the lowest per capita usage in the World.
WiMAX operators, on the other hand need to quickly revise their business plans Stage Set for Mobile Multimedia Services in India as 3G and MVNO Policies Announced
7 Aug 2008
The announcement by the Govt. of India of the auction of 3G spectrum auction coupled with the announcement of policy for mobile virtual network operators marks the beginning of a new era in the fastest growing telecom market in the world.
The 3G spectrum auction policy has been talked about for the last 3 years and has now finally been announced. This policy ( http://www.dot.gov.in/2008/aug%202008/spectrum_2.pdf) envisages a multistage bidding process for spectrum blocks of 5x2 MHz as paired bands in the 1.9/2.1 GHz bands. A total of 5 to 10 such slots are slated to be auctioned. Spectrum will also be auctioned in the 1900 MHz band for EVDO services providing an upgrade path for the CDMA operators.
The bidding is open to all investors irrespective of whether they hold the 2G licenses or not. This is expected to bring in additional operators who missed the action earlier
However the change of greater significance will be ushered in by the Mobile Virtual Network Operator policy, whereby innovative service provides can buy the resources such as infrastructure or airtime and provide their own offerings of mobile multimedia.
This relieves the mobile operators to meet the network and user growth requirements while it permits a number of new operators to try their own business models for mobile multimedia, Mobile TV, streaming of video and audio and other services based on mobile multimedia such as music stores.
WiMAX and LTE June 2008
One of the most common issues of discussion one finds today in either WiMAX or 3G fora are the technology growth path, will it be LTE or Mobile WiMAX? In fact this question has also led to a considerable debate amongst the regulators in different countries as it has a bearing on the way future resources such as spectrum need to be allocated.
It must be said at the outset that the LTE is the path most carriers ( 3G and CDMA) are planning to follow for the present, at least till they can see something better in Mobile WiMAX. All the carriers have been following the 3GPP ( and 3GPP2) upgrade paths, which now at HSUPA and EV-DO will take them to LTE and UMB.
Because the mobile community is very large and 3GPP is their own body for evolution, it is not surprising that almost all carriers have announced the upgrade paths as LTE. This is proving to be a hurdle for the uptake of Mobile WiMAX by many networks as they see heir upgrade paths as those specified as 3GPP.
But the fact is that LTE is still not yet fully defined, let alone tried as per frozen standards. This leaves many areas which could face delays as technology moves from Labs to trials and on to commercial use. Mobile WiMAX is right now fathered mostly by Intel and a few others, but its path is differnt and it has many advantages, particulary in the technology and availability of spectrum. This makes possible high bandwidth open applications, more than what can be said of even HSPA. A large ecosystem has also been built around Mobile WiMAX after over 300 trials. The ecosystem includes the chipsets, CPEs, plug in devices as well as Wave 2 compliant base stations, test apparatus and implementation aids.
Is is possible to harmonize 3GPP and mobile WiMAX or LTE and Mobile WiMAX? Potentially it has become easier now after the WRC has adopted OFDMA-TDD as one of the approved interfaces for IMT. This makes it possible for 3G ( and evolved systems including LTE) to coexist in different parts of the network as the higher architectural layers can follow the 3GPP.
The question is why would 3G operators use mobile WiMAX, if at all? I would say that there are many reasons for this. One, the Mobile WiMAX technology is now available including the wave 2 devices. So if the operators really want to grow on data, they can use the more easily available spectrum for Mobile WiMAX than that available for 3G or LTE. It also allows a second path to the internet, the first being via their own GNA techniques. Secondly WiMAX features are much more powerful for multimedia transmission ( such as support for MBS and service flows). Hence there is a good case for dual mode devices.
There are of course still many issues which the WiMAX forum needs to hasten to make Mobile WiMAX viable. They are seen as too slow in certifications and defining the higher layers of WiMAX. The technology also has some proving to do in so far as more advanced implementations such as those involving SFNs and micro-diversity handover are concerned.Potentially latency is higher in Mobile WiMAX particularly when it is operated as an SFN for MBS type operations. The synchronization is by means of IEEE 1588 precision timing protocol with the GPS source, which makes it +- 10 microseconds as compared to 2-3 microseconds for LTE and EVDO/HSPA, which are also based on the use of a GPS source. This means that multidiversity operation of Mobile WiMAX stations is more complex and can be subject to loss of synchronism or collision in transmissions. But it is compensated by its more advanced features of classes of service and support of service flows. We should soon have more data on this when more implementations are on the ground for MBS, though as yet they seem to be very few. This is also because of the WiMAX forum not being able to quickly move ahead on the network architectures.3GPP and LTE definitely score on this account as the architectures are fully defined up to the application level. This is the main reason why WiMAX applications are flagging and most operators who take up implementations based on WiMAX are in a quandry on how to integrate it and develop applications over it. Many of the MBS implementations are coming out as proprietary and not all operators are implementing them in the same way.
Proponents of LTE claim that it has an edge so far as latency is concerned, but this is based on the technology guidance, no one has seen it yet. But as the LTE standards move ahead, there is a good case for better harmonization of standards with WiMAX, which in any event is one of the permitted air interfaces in the network. We will need to also see how the Flash OFDM and OFDMA-TDD technologies can coexist and what implications arise from a commercial viewpoint as well.
There is however a much stronger case for Mobile WiMAX today. No wireless technology has been tested so widely as mobile WiMAX has, nor can any technology claim to deliver high quality multimedia with assured QoS to hundreds of thousands of devices as Mobile WiMAX can. The close to a million WiFi hot spots are a testimony to the fact that Wireless does provide value depite what mobile networks can offer and this remains the key reason why Mobile WiMAX will be used extensively in the near future.
Expecting Mobile WiMAX to Compete with 3G? They are different Creatures! Mobile WiMAX and 3G are entirely in different classes and one can not compare one for the other. The 3G technologies were perceived in the mid 90’s and had forecast very limited rates in each cell area. No one at that time had even vaguely estimated the predominance of video in content and messages as it turned out to be the case by 2003, when the first 3G networks were being implemented. This led to a scramble to develop patchwork technologies such as HSDPA to rack up the data rates. However, with all recognition to this technology, which actually works, it again does not compare with Mobile WiMAX.
Mobile WiMAX is a technology in a different class by itself. It is suited for specific services such as video streaming,VoIP and others by providing classes of traffic and QoS parameters. It is designed for Non-line of sight dense urban wireless environment, where high data rates can not be sustained without the OFDMA, which is an integral part of the WiMAX technology. It is truly a next generation technology and is an extension of the Internet to mobile devices without any restrictions.
No one is giving a go by to mobile WiMAX, not at least the operators who are providing data services today and are planning for a WiMAX ecosystem of constant connectivity in the near future. The GSM and 3G operators are today beasts of burden. They need to go on providing connections and support services to various customers. With growth in countries in India and China averaging 8-10 million users a month, they have few other options but to organically go on expanding, subdividing cells like bacteria to just serve all the users. Again, no one, even when 3G was being planned had thought of such a high number of customers nor such customer density. Had they known this scenario in advance, they would not have planned such narrow spectrum bands as they did.
Mobile WiMAX is taking shape, driven by operators who are building the high speed wireless applications for today and the future. No one is expecting mobile WiMAX to step in the shoes of what GSM or 3G is doing today and start doing it from tomorrow. WiMAX would be crippled with such a high voice traffic just as 3G networks are with even a hint of video traffic. As the mobile WiMAX ecosystem falls in place this year with wave 2 certified devices, it will be the new network of choice for multimedia applications and a range of new devices needing constant connectivity, social networking and vide heavy services. It is designed to succeed where 3G fails.
But both are different creatures and the operators who provide these services cater to entirely different audiences. Mobile WiMAX is emerging as a very strong and successful technology, but it does not need to challenge 3G for such status.
WRC 2007 decisions may adversely influence frequency allocations for Mobile WiMAX in India
There was general cheer in the WiMAX camp when the OFDMA-TDD was accepted as one of the approved air interfaces under the IMT-Advanced. Mobile WiMAX thus became one of the technologies using which 3G mobile services could be provided. It was considered an important development also because of the impact in Europe which had sharply divided bands for IMT-Advanced and WiMAX making it difficult for WiMAX operators access to the 2.5-2.69 GHz and 2.3-2.4 GHz bands.
However in India the decisions by the WRC and the ITU seem to be having just the opposite effect. With the ever powerful mobile operators lobby, which has already wrested a range of decisions in its favor, including barring any foreign companies from bidding for 3G spectrum, it has now embarked on a new ruse.
This is to wrest the allocation of the Mobile WiMAX spectrum in the 2.3-2.4 and 2.5-2.69 GHz bands in its favour citing the WRC decisions of commanality of air interfaces. The mobile operators are contending that as the WRC has accepted WiMAX-TDD as a part of IMT advanced, it is an enabling factor for the DoT to allocate to them the mobile WiMAX spectrum in these bands, which they would be able to use for their 3 G services. If WiMAX goes into the background owing to it, so be it.
The Consultation paper on the allocation of these spectrum bands closed on May 23, 2008. Without waiting for the recommendations of the regulator, the DoT has started calling a meeting of mobile operators who are keen to grab the booty. The recommendations of the regulator, when issued can always be filed. Of course with all the respect and the dignity they deserve.
Mobile Content Central: Being a 4th Generation Broadcaster
“Mobile TV is just one of many services that new mobile broadcast technologies enable.”
The above theme which emerged from the views expressed by Kamil Grajski, FLO Forum president at NAB 2008 is in fact something the broadcasting industry is increasing recognizing as the multimedia transmissions to mobile devices move to the forefront.
The FLO forum president recognized the fact that when IP data is pushed to a mobile device ( A Phone or internet tablet for example) the users expect to see more than a “ Mobile TV” or listen to a “ Streaming Radio”. In fact they expect more of a portal which gives them everything: news, TV, social networking sites feeds and more. The key lies in allowing each individual to be able to personalize content and see what they wish to see!
This is also the core idea of the book “ Mobile Broadcasting with WiMAX” which brings out the characteristics of a 4th Generation Broadcaster and explains the technologies and network architectures which help to achieve it.
Featured at NAB 2008, April 11-18, Las Vegas! Mobile WiMAX- What to Expect at NAB 2008?
WiMAX has not been a very visible feature in the NAB at least in the past. NAB with its focus on broadcast products, media processing and broadcast services has found little in common with a wireless technology which was known to provide only broadband internet in some trials. WiMAX of course has been very prominent in wireless and mobile fora such as WiMAX World Forum Congress,CES, Mobile World Congress, CTIA Wireless and many others. Many of the developments reported have been drawing the attention of the NAB attendees. These included the demonstration of WiMAX TV by MobiTV in 2007.
With the increasing convergence of IPTV and broadcast networks as well as coming of age of mobile WiMAX technologies including their imminent major launch via the XOHM network, Mobile WiMAX is now being seen as a mainstream technology for streaming multimedia to the mobiles. This brings it squarely in the domain of Mobile TV and also a part of the Broadcast portfolio of many companies.
NAB 2008, which has its theme as IPTV is also expected to provide surprising insight into a number of convergence products which involve WiMAX and presents an interesting opportunity for broadcasters interested in triple play and mobile services. The IPTV products include the following:
• Broadband Wireless
• IMS
• Wi-Fi
• WiMAX
• Wireless Networks
• Wireless Infrastructure
But what has changed between NAB 2007 and now?
First of all, it must be mentioned that many of the mainline broadcasters and distributors ( i.e. cable MSOs) have shown keen interest in partnering with WiMAX operators ( such as Sprint). As per industry news, Major MSOs such as Time Warner and Comcast are in talks with Sprint and Clearwire to invest upto $1.5 Billion. There are other MSOs as well which are looking at investing and joining the bandwagon. The coming in of Cable MSOs in a WiMAX venture was only to be expected and has been in the air for some time now. The winning in the 700 MHz auction of the telecom majors such as Verizon and AT&T has also set the cat amongst the pigeons as to how these companies will leverage this very valuable broadcast spectrum. It has now been revealed ( at least by Verizon that it will be used for LTE!).
In the meantime for those who have been left out in auctions, it is time to focus on new strategies. What can be more innovative than the Sprint and Clearwire WiMAX networks which have been in making for a while now? WiMAX networks do have clear advantages in providing QoS based connectivity for streaming applications as well as multicast channels. The MSOs need this sorely for VoD content as well as for enabling triple play services. They can also target a host of mobile devices which are Wimax enabled for video and multimedia applications.
Secondly, there has been a slew of new devices which have become between last year and now. With Nokia formally announcing the N810 internet tablet, one more device based on native use of WiMAX (and WiFi) gets added to the domain of WiMAX enabled devices. Everex Systems has unveiled a WiMAX laptop which is compatible with the XOHM network of Sprint Nextel. The Laptop ( Cloudbook MAX) also supports WiFi ( 802.11b/g). With Nokia formally announcing the N810 internet tablet, one more device based on native use of WiMAX (and WiFi) gets added to the domain of WiMAX enabled devices. Intel has announced the prices for Mobile WiMAX ( IEEE802.16e-2005) and WiFi ( 802.11 a/g/n) modules. These modules have been designed for Intel’s Montevina™ based notebooks. The module called “Echo Peak” will be available in two versions. The 1x2 MIMO version will be priced around $44 while the 3x3 MIMO will be priced at $54.The modules will be available in the Mini card form factor.
The announcement of pricing of WiMAX mini cards by Intel was widely expected before CTIA 2008 and the expectations have not been belied, on the announcement or the price. The price of $44 for 1x2 MIMO and $54 for 3x3 MIMO is well below the expected range considering that the volumes have yet to pickup. The CPE prices of $50 are much more affordable than over $100 which were prevailing earlier for similar WiMAX CPEs.
The WiFi 802.11n and Mobile WiMAX 802.16e-2005 wave 2 present the best combo option for high speed applications such as Video. The WiFi 802.11n can be used for live streaming video at full resolution in a WiFi hot spot owing to its high peak speeds of over 100 Mbps.
With new Systems on Chip(SoC) with ultra low power consumption and conformance with Wireless ( 802.11n) as well as mobile WiMAX wave 2 certification profiles making a strong surge, the mobile WiMAX scene is set to be a witness to major changes. Many new applications and devices will get powered and the broadcast sector is set to be one of the largest gainers in this regard.
Third, WiMAX based mobile TV delivery technologies have been made available for commercial use by vendors such as Nextwave. Nextwave has used the most powerful features of Mobile WiMAX technology i.e. Multicast and Broadcast Service ( MBS) and macro-diversity. A multicast service in WiMAX can be extended to hundreds of thousands of users, a feature which had so far been not exploited in commercial applications. macro-diversity makes it possible as it ensures that the mobile receives the transmissions from a number of base stations simultaneously. Not only does such a technology use the more readily available WiMAX spectrum ( rather than 3G), the QoS features of mobile WiMAX ensure better delivery over a wireless medium. It also cuts across multiple standards for Mobile TV which have been the bane of the industry.
Fourth, the predictions coming from the WiMAX Forum are quite optimistic for the growth of Mobile WiMAX, pegging the number of users at over 133 million by 2012, a majority of which will consist of users of mobile WiMAX with portable devices.
If one is to draw a parallel with the mobile networks, it is a good bet that a large number of users will come from BRIC countries. ( In particular Brazil, India and China). The number of mobile phone users in India at over 250 million has exceeded those of US and is at the second place in the world, the first being China.
Fifth, the lowering cost of H.264/AVC encoders and their increasing use in broadcast systems makes possible the encoding of video for wireless distribution at extremely low rates. Operators such as Echostar, which has interests in SlingMedia are looking at IPcasting of TV content to mobiles for which Mobile WiMAX is potentially a very useful delivery medium.
Broadband TV is a major focus area in NAB 2008 including a Conference on April 16th, which features various broadband technologies including broadband wireless.
With the theatrics normally associated with the launches, all in all it promises to be a very interesting show.
Mobile WiMAX falls short of expectations?
March 28,2008 It has been reported that “Dispute erupts over bad WiMax performance” based on the report by an Australian WiMAX operator. ( see Computerworld report)The report cites of loss of service with direct connectivity beyond 2 Km and inbuilding coverage of only a few hundred meters from the base station. WiMAX technology has proved itself in more than 300 trials and a number of commercial launches. Some of the recent ones are the QMAX harbour area WiMAX in Singapore, Wateen telecom in Pakistan, Tata Indicom in India and a number of operators in Latin America. Take heart! Tata Communications in India is investing $500 million in WiMAX ( see http://www.wimax-home.com ) and they are just one of the dozen comanies which will invest over $ 2 Billion in India alone. XOHM and others of course are the real players,though not fully in the court yet. A network can not defy the laws of physics and the link performances need to be built in. First of all, the higher frequency ranges used in Australia ( nearing the extended c-band at 3.6 GHz are no help as the loss increases with square of frequency as well as distance. Secondly WiMAX base stations come in different versions such as carrier grade, Micro base stations and Pico base stations. These are with different power levels and can not deliver more than their scheduled range. Hence it all boils down to sectorization and base station densities. Mobile WiMAX gathers steam as every week heralds launches of new products!
One of the tests of how ready a technology is to take off is to witness the number of products which are launched. Mobile WiMAX has been one of the technologies which has been constantly under the gaze as one which is “ too expansive” or “ does not work satisfactorily”. However many of these observations are hasty as is evident in the steady progress the technology is now making, week after week.
Earlier most products which were available were for Fixed WiMAX ( IEEE 802.16-2004) or for WiBRO. However the recent trends have accelerated towards increased availability of Mobile WiMAX products such as base stations, Mobile WiMAX embedded devices and external attachments. Many of these are now available with wave 2 compliance ( though the forum certifications may be some time away).
The attachments seem to target all markets and different types of devices such as PDAs, UMPCs, Laptops, gaming devices and Handsets. All these products are in fact signaling the emergence of new carriers with nation wide services in the not too distant future.
Examples of some the recent releases for mobile WiMAX include the Siemens Express PC Card (SE68) which is wave 2 compatible with both MIMO A and B support as well as beamforming. This will enable this device to be used in mobile Wimax networks in an indoor environment. The frequencies supported are in the 2.5 Ghz and 3.5 GHz bands.
POSDATA has already announced its Mobile WIMAX products under the FLYVO series. It provides the full mobile WiMAX ecosystem from base stations to CPEs , embedded user devices and attachments. In fact FLYVO was the first to come out with a gaming device ( G100) based on the IEEE 802.16e-2005 technology.It also has USB modems compatible with Windows XP and Vista.
Motorola already has USB adapters and PC cards and has recently announced its wave 2 compatible Mobile WiMAX base stations under its WAP 450 series of products. The base stations support multi-sector operation with different carrier options and are MIMO capable with mobility support. Being an outdoor unit, it provides a low cost start up option for mobile WiMAX coverage.
But it is Samsung, which today has by far the largest range of products in the mobile WiMAX ecosystem ranging from base stations ( both indoor and outdoor), a wide range of mobile WiMAX embedded products and a range of multi-network external WiMAX attachments. In the embedded products area it has handsets, UMPCs and Internet tablets. Its mobile internet product, PMP (SWT-W100K) for example supports mobile WiMAX for Internet, TDMB for mobile TV and GPS for position location services. A perfect traveling companion! Even its USB dongles are multi-network, supporting Mobile WiMAX along with either 3G( HSDPA), EV-DO or WiFi. It also has PCMCIA cards which go in PDAs and other compatible devices.
We continue to see an increase in the chipsets available, reference designs as well as new devices from various manufacturers incorporating the latest features. All waiting for the Year of the WiMAX!
 Gartner report Predicts 6.9 Million WiMAX users in Inda by 2011 !
Gartner predicts 6.9 Million WiMAX Users in India by 2011 March 26, 2008 A report from the Gartner group ( see CIOL Network news) says that the number of WiMAX ( both fixed and mobile) could be pegged at 6.9 million by 2011. This report must be considered a very cautious and conservative one, in a country which today adds over 8 million mobile users in a month. If one pulls out reports on cellular industry made in 2004, one would be left aghast. The trajectory of WiMAX, if at all one would like to trace in advance, must follow that of WiFi which unveiled a new wireless world when the WiFi alliance began standardizing the profiles and parameters to be used in commercial devices such as WiFi cards based on 802.11b/g. India will top 700 million WiFi devices by 2009 in the same scenario described as “ lack of adequate laptops” Worldwide over 2 billion WiFi devices will be in operation by this time. Technologies which have disruptive potential such as WiMAX have no real basis to predict future numbers and one can at best list the strengths and the factors which going ahead can impact the numbers significantly. What are these factors? First of all let us recognize that WiMAX is not just an extension of range of Wireless systems. It is based on an entirely new architecture based on native use of IPv6 and features which guarantees QoS even on a wireless medium by a scheduling mechanism. It has features which allow multiple base stations to simultaneously service a mobile device ( macrodiversity) and supports multicast and broadcast services. Hence WiMAX is more of an open wireless extension of the global Internet rather than just data connections delivered over mobile medium. This extension is without “ walled gardens as is the case for many mobile networks which today provide internet connectivity. Secondly, while mobile WiMAX is widely perceived as a high speed connectivity medium, it is designed to provide connectivity to devices even with very low data rates by virtue of assignment of subcarriers. It can be used for permanently connected devices such as music players, PDAs, Location based services and UMPCs or other mobile personal devices. The WiMAX forum is doing today, what was done by the WiFi alliance 5 years back. It has standardized profiles and parameters for commercial deployment of WiMAX systems, initiated process of certification of profiles and devices which have WiMAX forum approval are becoming widely available. The growth in India will indeed be dependent on many factors including spectrum allocations as rightly pointed out but these are bound to happen in a year. We also should not forget that individual companies such as Tata communications have committed $500 million to WiMAX and there are a dozen others which will cumulatively invest over $2 billion in next three years.
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