New developments in WiMAX
This section will bring all the new developments in WiMAX with comments and analysis.
Barry West Kindles Hope: WiMAX rollout ahead of Schedule; over a thousand Base stations commissioned
Sept 04, 2008
The markets wanted nothing as eagerly as the announcement by Barry West, Chief of XOHM WiMAX network that its planned rollout was now running ahead of schedule. The commissioning of over a thousand base stations and availability of devices such as Nokia 810 WiMAX Internet Tablet, dual mode handsets etc. has finally signaled that the technology risk is over. In fact the new networks as they roll out in Baltimore, Washington DC and Chicago should provide the users an experience which is far beyond the present cellular networks. Else, all the discussions on the Mobile WiMAX would have been in vein.
The rollout of WiMAX has been particularly spectacular in Asia , parts of Europe and Russia.
With speeds reaching 3-8 Mbps depending on the location of the user, the way the applications are written or data presented would change dramatically. We are now talking of an environment which is not in the realm of existing devices to exploit at all. Not that there is dearth of open devices waiting to enter the markets from the Google and Android stables.
We should also see a resurgence of Linux and use of Java in a number of new open applications.
Mobile WiMAX Moves Swiftly Ahead as Ecosystem falls in place
July 23, 2008
Mobile WiMAX providers have faced many an anxious moment in the past as the technology seemed to be facing a tough market owing to high prices and unproven performance in field conditions. Fortunately those days are over now and Mobile WiMAX is rolling ahead swiftly with network rollouts and fall in the prices of Chipsets which go in the CPEs and consumer devices.
The Chipsets for WiMAX comprising of the Baseband SoC and the RF Chipset have fallen in the range of $30-40 from over $100 a year back and the projections based on volumes of shipments are likely to take these to Sub $10 levels. At these levels the WiMAX chipsets will be as competitive and hence ubiquitous as the WiFi modules installed almost universally in all mobile devices.
This is not surprising considering that the global subscribers of Mobile WiMAX will exceed 100 million by 2012 and the market for WiMAX services will be worth $5.5 Billion as against just $58 million in 2007.
Recent WiMAX plans announced include those by Newport Digital Technologies in Italy, Comstar in Russia, Armenia and other countries, Max Telecom in Bulgaria etc. Tata Communications and other operators in India have also been aggressively expanding the networks to provide complete coverage of important cities.
In the meantime, Barry West, CEO of XOHM has announced, after many delays and restructurings, the launch of the services in Baltimore and Chicago by Sept 2008. Intel is also working aggressively in WiMAX embedded products which will support the market for WiMAX services.
WiMAX Blooms in Asia
June 27,2008
If there was anyone who needed to be convinced that WiMAX is here and will indeed be as revolutionary a technology as it is touted to be, all that one needed to do was to visit Boradcast Asia and ComminicAsia 2008 ( 17-20th June 2008) Singapore.
Being a convergence event with Broadcasting, Communications and Interactive DME ( digital media and content), it is one of the most effective forum for a technology showcase of unprecedented magnitude.
If one was willing to look beyond the Super High Definition TV which was showcased for the first time and hogged media attention, it was the IPTV and the WiMAX based media services which were present as a bedrock of technological stratum.
All the WiMAX majors were present, offering, for the first time a full ecosystem for Mobile WiMAX and its applications. The ecosystem included base station equipment. Antennas, ASN gateways, Customer premises equipment (CPEs), WiMAX enablers( Plug in devices and PC cards) , gaming devices. Applications on display included WiMAX gaming, Broadband internet access and WiMAX TV, the later being the most prominent display.
Figure: The ZTE Pavillion had the Mobile WImAX demo live and had a full ecosytem of products including for XOHM in USA
The prime displays were in the ZTE and the FlyVo exhibits amongst other vendors. The ZTE pavilion was a showcase of every aspect of WiMAX technology and displayed some of the CPEs which will be used in the XOHM network of USA.The FlyVo pavilion was alive with displays of WiMAX IPTV and a variety of adopters and gaming devices for Mobile WiMAX.
SK Telesys was displaying its ecosystem of Mobile WiMAX compliant with IEEE 802.16e-2007.Deployment of WiMAX applications today, which are dominated by the Mobile devices complaint with 3GPP requires the use of IMS( IP Multimedia system), and this one of the offereings of SK Telesys i.e. a VoD and VoIP service offerings platform using Mobile WiMAX integrated with the IMS. ( See http://www.wimaxbook.net/bookcontents.aspx). Also on display were a variety of base stations, RAS, ASN gateways and management systems. One of the unique offerings included the Access point with Distributed Radio Structure) with WIMAX forum wave 2 compliance. Optical repeaters and Micro/ Pico base stations were the other elements.
WiMAX and Mobile transmitters were on display from Axcera. These included the transmitters for DVB-H,DVB-SH,MediaFLO , WiMAX and Wireless ( DOCSIS) transmitters and gapfillers.
Intel Centrino 2 Laptops with WiMAX
Fitel Taiwan’s WiMAX network is set to be the selected one where Intel is demonstrating its Centrino 2 Laptops with its WiMAX module. The WiFi Module used is the Echo Peak which is a combo card for WiMAX and WiFi. The Chipset and the inbuilt antennas have the FCC approval and the device which will showcase the technology is the Asus M51VA laptop from Asustek. The ASUS M51VA is based on Penryn P8600 2.4 GHz processor. The demonstrations using FiTel,s network have as per expectations.
This marks a significant development as Operators planning WiMAX networks can now factor in the availability of WiMAX enabled Laptops from many vendors by the third quarter of 2008. It will also be helpful in making network rollouts such as those of XOHM more useful. With roaming agreements in WiMAX networks beginning to shape up, the Laptop could become a universal use device, permanently connected.
What to Expect at WIMAX Forum World Congress 2008?
(June 17-18 2008,RAI Exhibition Centre, Amsterdam)
June 2,2008The WiMAX Forum World
Congress is always a sought after event for industry watchers but this time it is something special. The focus has now clearly shifted to real life implementations of WiMAX and it is no surprise that the event begins with an impressive broadside from Barry West,CTO of Sprint Nextel speaking on the rollout plans of XOHM and its impact on the WiMAX markets worldwide. With Barry having already announced the success of trials of XOHM, the observers are expecting much more punch in his opening address. Comes as it does after the historic JV between Sprint, Clearwire, Comcast and Time Warner Cable along with Google and others, the focus is evidently on implementation applications and new devices to propel growth. The Cable majors evidently see a lot in the WiMAX networks for wireless delivery of video content.
WiMAX also weighs heavily on the minds of Cable and Satellite Operators in Asia, both for its potential benefits and threats to existing businesses. Halfway around the world, in Singapore, the forum of CASBAA ( Cable and Satellite broadcasters Association of Asia) opens on June 16 with a session on the
“WiMAX Wars”. Featured are an equally impressive who’s who of the satellite, Broadcasting and Cable TV Industry with David McGlade and Dan Goldberg, the CEOs of global satellite operators Intelsat and Telesat, delivering the keynote addresses. Other featured speakers will include Star COO Laureen Ong, Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall, Asiasat CEO Peter Jackson, Protostar CEO Philip Father and Asia Broadcast Satellite CEO Tom Choi.
Coming just before the Broadcast Asia 2008 and CommunicAsia 2008( June 17-19th) at Singapore both the Fora are going to be highly focused on the WiMAX as the new mobile Internet technologies and its applications for broadcast networks, regulations and spectrum allocations. Asia and emerging markets have been the largest users of WiMAX technologies so far and hence the focus on the technology as it graduates out of the trials and gets into major networks. WiMAX deployment is critically dependent on the regulatory environment, applications and enabling provisions such as spectrum allocations in markets worldwide and two fora being held simultaneously at Singapore and Amsterdam with perfectly synchronized dates do not unfortunately help. Telecom executives and regulators in Asia consider these events an annual “must”.
Neverthless the WiMAX Forum World Congress has an impressive line up in its track on Spectrum and Regulation ( for WiMAX). The focus is on global harmonization of bands, possible roaming arrangements and cost effectiveness of different spectrum bands. There is also a focus on the use of the newly announced 700 MHz band and the present deployment momentum in the 3.5 GHz bands. However the session is woefully silent on the co-existence with other networks, which form the central theme of regulatory discussions such as CASBAA. However it is the applications and services which take the centre stage at the World Congress. The availability of new WiMAX devices and the global harmonization of bands are key inputs which the participants are looking at to see if 2008 will indeed be the Year of the WiMAX.
India to Set 3G and Mobile WiMAX Spectrum allocation rules by June 2008
May 27,2008
The Indian telecommunications minister Mr. A Raja has gone on record ( 23rd May ) to state that the Policies and guidelines for the allocation of 3G Spectrum will be issued by June 2008.
This is quite ambitious, considering that the submission of comments to the Indian regulator TRAI on the allocation of 3G and WiMAX spectrum has closed on 23rd May 2008. The process of review and public consultation could take the best part of June 2008. Thereafter the DoT and the other agencies need to decide on the modalities of its auction.
The Indian mobile operators lobby has been traditionally very strong ( not surprising considering that they have over the quarter of the population of India as their subscribers) in wresting concessions in their favour. As expected their chorus has been to consider only existing GSM operators for such allocation. However in this instance the telecommunications minister Mr Raja has been holding his fort strongly to permit even the foreign bidders in the process.
We have always maintained that the implementation of policies which have a long term bearing on the entire nation need to implemented with considerable care. It is not easy to undo such allocations and serious distortions in quality of services and prices to customers can arise owing to faulty policies.
The TRAI has already sounded a note of caution on the question whether the mobile operators should also be allowed to accumulate the Mobille WiMAX spectrum and if so to what extent. It is well known that after the WRC 2007 , which made OFDMA-TDD ( one of the profiles of mobile WiMAX) a part of the IMT-advanced air interfaces the mobile operators have been spoiling for grabbing the mobile WiMAX Spectrum. However as things turn out in such cases, while the TRAI has recommended the grabbing of new spectrum by the existing mobile operators only, the minister Mr Rajah, true to his name, stands in the way like a King! If it spoils the party for some, so be it.
Completion of Sprint WiMAX trials set the stage for network launch
May 18, 2008
The Washington DC- Baltimore trials which were the staging ground for mobile WiMAX of Sprint Nextel under its XOHM brand have now given the signal for the final launch of the Mobile WiMAX network in USA which will cover over 140 million people by 2010.
The signal for commercial launch came after the trials were declared successful having validated an extensive set of parameters including data rates, handoffs and roaming, MIMO, reception by a range of consumer devices and many more. The trials validated the initial WiMAX devices from Samsung which have been designed to comply with the WiMAX Forum profiles for release 1 wave 2 and will form a part of the initial ecosystem which will be available. Handoffs, synchronization of base stations and delays in handoffs which have been the key differentiators from the Fixed WiMAX technologies have been proven to be acceptable as has the use of the spectrum which will be used for a countrywide rollout.
The signal for the commercial launch of the XOHM service coincides with the announcement of Joint Venture involving Sprint, Clearwire, Intel, Comcast, Time Warner and Google. The cash infusion which the partners are bringing in will enable the physical rollout across the United States as supporting revenues build up from subscription and use.
If the remarks of Barry West, CEO of Sprint are anything to go by, the market for Wireless services and devices is set to take a quantum jump in the USA, much beyond the incremental technologies such as HSDPA and EV-DO have been providing. The new ecosystem of high speed wireless connectivity will generate a host of new applications which were so far not possible owing to the limited set of capabilities in the mobile devices as well as the connectivity via mobile networks. The open architecture of the WiMAX will essentially make the Internet truly mobile and also lead to faster adoption of 3G in the networks.
Seems to be the beginnings of a very exciting era, one which has taken a long time to arrive but is here today like a rainbow with all the colors, excitement and yet always with an element of the unknown.
Sprint,Clearwire,Intel,Google and Major MSOs come together in a joint venture for WiMAX
Scene 4: And the 4th Generation Network Gets Set to Go!
May 08,2008
The latest news of Sprint and Clearwire coming together( in a joint venture) to launch the largest WiMAX network was always seen as the beginning of new era of universal connectivity, new devices and new architectures. However, back in mid 2007,the news that Sprint and Clearwire had decided go ahead on independently with their respective rollouts ( Scene 2) had brought in gloom to the industry. At one stage, it was even being said that the technology had serious problems and hence the delay. Next came the news of the major MSOs and Intel supporting a new initiative with fresh infusion of funds. This was scene 3 and the trial launches of XOHM in three markets went ahead. Now we finally have the news of Sprint and Clearwire coming together again, but this time with Time Warner, Comcast, Intel and Google also pitching in to form a joint venture.
Each one of the players is a winner, an innovator and embraces the latest technologies and is a leader in its field. In the new launch, do not expect merely a network such as WiFi but a new ecosystem of devices and applications based on QoS which is guaranteed by WiMAX.. The presence of Google signifies a range of applications developed around the Google portal, mobile and desktop as well as Google Talk, Android phones, Google maps and Google earth to be available in an integrated manner without the limitations of the traditional internet. The Cable MSOs will get the better of quadruple play services with interactive television, broadband wireless internet, VoIP and Video streaming.
As is always the case, when such a large ecosystem falls in place, it emerges with extremely disruptive technologies. The curtains are now up and the new scene about to be begin.
http://www.wimax-home.com
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India Issues consultation Paper for Mobile WiMAX and IMT-Advanced bands of 2.3 and 2.5 GHZ
May 05, 2008
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India ( TRAI) has issued an important consultation paper on the proposed auction of spectrum in the bands which are considered as “ Prime” for mobile WiMAX. These bands are 2.3-2.4 GHz and 2.5-2.69 GHz, which have been recognized by the WiMAX Forum for its certification profiles and where wave 2 certified mobile devices are becoming available. Globally all WiMAX systems are now largely using these bands for future systems.
The TRAI consultation paper comes at quite an appropriate time as the Indian government is getting ready to allot the 3G spectrum. The consultation paper became necessary owing to certain recommendations of the TRAI on the allocation of spectrum which were self contradictory as well as at variance with global practices. The consultation paper also comes in as some of the mobile operators have started demanding that the 2.5-2.69 GHz be kept reserved for 3G-LTE after the WRC 2007 in Nov 2007 had adopted OFDMA-TDD as one of the approved air interfaces under the IMT-Advanced systems.
The paper proposes that the prime bands of 2.3-2.4 GHz and 2.5-2.69 GHz be got vacated by the scattered existing users and be earmarked for Broadband wireless ( meaning WiMAX) or 3G-Long term evolution (LTE). The Regulator has sought comments on whether the use should be technology neutral as in the United states or be specific to WiMAX or LTE. It has also sought comments on the pricing recognizing that the previous reserve prices particularly for BWA were extremely low and in most cases capped at 25% of the prices for 3G. The emergence of Mobile WiMAX worldwide as a strong technology in use in many networks has considerably increased interest in the spectrum and consequently the value which bidders are willing to pay considering that the spectrum is limited. Parts of the spectrum in the 2.5-2.69 GHz are presently in use by the Dept of Space with operating satellites and may not get vacated leaving only limited spectrum for the rest of the bidders of which one needs to be BSNL or MTNL, the state carriers. With 3G players also eying the same spectrum the number of suitors has gone up considerably for the balance left for allocation.
Unlike many countries such as Japan and Korea, India has not placed restrictions on the mobile operators also accumulating valuable wireless and WiMAX spectrum. This has led to the possibility of complete monopolization of the market by some of the existing mobile operators by having both the GSM/CDMA as well as the WiMAX spectrum which they hold in the 3.4-3.6 GHz band. This includes all the major cellular players. The operators have already wrenched a decision in their favor of keeping
foreign bidders out of the forthcoming 3G spectrum auctions despite the ministry of communications seeking to bring in additional players.
The responses and decisions on the present consultation paper will be important in determining whether the existing players will also be able to get the prime spectrum for Mobile WiMAX and LTE and keep other potential bidders which may be willing to offer much higher prices out. The TRAI, seeing a potential Frankenstein’s Monster of cartelization being created step by step in India has now put a question on the cumulative spectrum which a bidder can hold in these bands.
The decisions on this consultation paper are set to be some of the most important policy decisions which India is expected to witness in the current year considering the long term implications of these recommendations. It will also determine how open India’s market will be for foreign players who now have to play second fiddle to a local operator. It will also determine whether other players in the convergence era such as IPTV providers, broadcasters or wireless ISPs can expect to be in fray for new technologies or simply be swept by the wave of cartelization which is today the name of the game in spectrum.
Mobile WiMAX gets set to rollout aggressively in Europe as Spectrum Gaps fill up
April 2008
Yet another indicator for rollout of WiMAX in Europe has now turned green with spectrum for Mobile WiMAX being allocated in Italy, one of the last bastions where the auctions were completed in this February. The licenses (35 licenses in all) for three blocks of 21 MHz each ( paired) for all the markets were auctioned in Italy for Euros 136 Million. These licenses were auctioned in the 3.5 GHz band. The largest successful bidder was Linkem with nationwide footprint. It is now launching its first network in the city of Bari with the services “ Wireless DSL” and VoIP. Mobile WiMAX services are already being provided in UK, Ireland and Iceland.
The Italian auctions follow those in Germany ( Euros 86 million) and France.
The German operator DBD has already commenced building the network with orders of over 500 base stations placed with Airspan and commenced service in select cities. WiMAX has already been launched in France by SHD and some of the recent launches include WiMAX Virtual Network Operators.
In the meantime the remaining countries have all announced WiMAX spectrum auctions to enable early network rollouts. Serbia , Portugal and Georgia have announced 3.5 GHz spectrum auctions recently. A common feature of the use of the 3.4 Ghz spectrum is that mobility is to be permitted as per the WiMAX forum profiles. Those supporting include amongst others the Ofcom UK and Portugal.
Mobile WiMAX is now entering the premier league with many countries announcing opening auctions for prime spectrum in the 2.5-2.6 GHz band. This includes the Ofcom UK (2010-2025 MHz and 2500-2690 MHz), Austria ( 2500 ~ 2690 MHz) and Sweden ( 2500 ~ 2690 MHz). Norway has already auctioned Spectrum in the 2.6 GHz band. In Norway the spectrum for 2.6 GHz has already been auctioned to five companies for $42 million. Spectrum in the 2.5-2.6 GHz is considered prime owing to better reach of the WiMAX radios in buildings and greater availability of devices and fetches nearly double the pricing as that for the 3.4 GHz band.
Technology neutrality, which was a basic tenet of use of spectrum announced by the EU in 2007 will guide the use of spectrum in many of the countries of EU. In contrast to its earlier preferred spectrum of 3.5 GHz for WiMAX, the 2.5-2.69 GHz spectrum is now being favored for use in mobile WiMAX, if the ongoing and announced auctions are any indications. This is set to bring in a major compatibility in the mobile WiMAX networks in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
News from WiMAX Forum World Congress April 9 2008, Singapore
The WiMAX Forum World Congress was held on 9-10 April 2008. One of the biggest events in the region, and not belying expectations, news from the event has started rolling out heralding major developments.
One of the awaited happenings was the WiMAX forum certification of base stations, chipsets and CPEs which can be used interoperably in various networks.
Samsung has now reported receiving the “Formal seal of approval” from the WiMAX forum for its Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005) products. These include the 2.3 GHz base station, PCMCIA WiMAX card (incorporating Samsung Chipset) and the WiMAX “mobile station”. These are for the WiBro network and are wave 1 compatible.( i.e. do not support MIMO).
Some of the other devices and Chipsets which obtained the WiMAX forum certification include the Runcom for its mobile WIMAX chipsets and POSDATA for its FLYVO base station and USB modem, all for the 2.3 GHz profiles.
While many devices and chipsets claim conformance to WiMAX Forum profiles for wave 2 including MIMO, the formal certification for these will happen later in the second quarter. 2008 has been characterized by a slew of product announcements such as the Nokia 810 WiMAX Internet Tablet, Samsung handsets, Intel WiMAX/ WiFi modules and devices from Motorola, ASUS and others, the year going ahead will be a true test as the same devices operate in multiple networks. Taiwan for example has WiMAX networks operated by FiTEL and Global Telecom the later of which has also WiMAX roaming agreements with Asian carriers.
With many countries in Asia embarking on the rollout of Mobile WiMAX networks such as Singapore, such developments will lend support to a wide region WiMAX roaming alliance on the lines of GSM or 3G-UMTS..
Intel Announces prices for Mobile WiMAX/ WiFi Modules
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.
CTIA Wireless 2008: Nokia Unveils the WiMAX Internet Tablet N810
April1,2008
The long wait is finally over and the predictions of industry observers have come true. 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.
With many of the international operators placing their bets on Mobile WiMAX, the availability of devices and their pricing has been the main factor for their networks taking off just the way mobile networks did a decade back.
The news on further expansion of XOHM (beyond the initial launch cities of Chicago, Washington DC and Baltimore) remains eagerly awaited. Versions of the Nokia N810 are expected to support the XOHM specifically (Nokia N870). XOHM has also announced a WiMAX phone developed jointly by Samsung and XOHM.
The internet Tablet is designed to provide mobile wireless access to internet using an open core architecture independent of the cellular networks and 3G-evolved technologies such as EV-Do by using the combination of WiFi and WiMAX.
The internet Tablet joins the mobile Wimax internet space with other devices such as those for gaming (POSDATA) being already available in addition to a variety of PC cards and USB adapters.
\Mobile WiMAX to enter Premier League with ultra low power convergence devices
A number of ultra low power Chipsets and Systems on Chip( SoC) have been announced which will make mobile WiMAX to go beyond devices such as UMPCs or laptops. The ultra low power and small space footprint SoCs will enable WiMAX to be ported on tiny devices such as music players, gaming devices and of course PDAs and Laptops.
An example is the ultralow power convergence SoC from Redpine Signals. The product called Lite NMAX provides the mobile WiMAX wave 2 functionality as well as the wireless 802.11n ( draft 3) in the same SoC. All the features such as Space time block coding (STBC) and beamforming are also supported.
WiMAX Forum Updates Progress on WiMAX Forum Wave 2 Certification
Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Feb 2008
The WiMAX Forum has made public the progress on certification of Mobile WiMAX wave 2 devices. There is great interest in the wave 2 devices which involve the use of multiple antennas or advanced antenna systems (AAS). Use of multiple antennas makes the reception much more robust in non line of sight conditions(NLOS). In line of sight conditions upto 80% higher speeds can be achieved using 2x2 MIMO. This has led to the industry players focusing on Mobile WiMAX wave 2 devices for their network design almost exclusively.
While the wave 2 compliant chipsets and CPEs ( such as PC cards, USB modems etc.) have been available for over a year now, the WiMAX forum is now set to give its stamp to such products. As per information provided by the forum over 28 products had been received by them for testing and should be released as certified products by 2Q of 2008.
With the WiMAX forum having established certification labls in Taiwan and India in addition to those in the United States and Europe, the certification and growth of networks is set to accelerate in 2008.