| WiMAX is designed as a wireless alternative to DSL | | | | cellular network to increase its speed and range. A |
| and cable for last mile broadband access and as way | | | | WiMAX antenna can also be directly connected to an |
| to interconnect Wi-Fi hotspots into a Metropolitan Area | | | | Internet backbone using a fiber optic cable. This is one |
| Network. Although, the actual uses for WiMAX | | | | of the means to increase bandwidth for data-intensive |
| overlaps those for Wireless Local Area Network up | | | | applications running across a wireless network or as a |
| until the mobile Wide Area Network level. Telephone | | | | back-haul for cellular phone and Internet traffic from a |
| and cable companies are closely probing the potential | | | | remote area back to a backbone. WiMAX can |
| of WiMAX as a "last mile" connectivity option. This will | | | | effectively improve a wireless infrastructure in a |
| result to a better-priced service for both home and | | | | decentralized, inexpensive and deployment-friendly |
| business customers and not to mention the elimination | | | | manner. |
| of the "captive" customer bases for both telephone | | | | WiMAX is seen as a very good alternative to |
| and cable networks. | | | | expensive urban deployments of T1 back-hauls in |
| In theory, WiMAX can provide connectivity to users | | | | developing countries with limited wired infrastructure |
| within a 31 mile radius even if there is no direct line if | | | | and cruel geography. The cost to install a WiMAX |
| sight. However, actual field tests show that the | | | | station as a single hub or using an existing cellular |
| practical limits seem to be just around 3 to 5 miles. | | | | tower will be very small compared to a wired solution. |
| According to WiMAX proponents, the technology can | | | | WiMAX's 31-mile diametrical range also works well |
| provide shared data rates up to 70 Mbit/s. This is | | | | with the low population density and the wide flat areas |
| enough to connect 60 T1-type connections | | | | common to developing countries. Some areas have |
| simultaneously and over a thousand homes running at 1 | | | | skipped wired structures due to inhibitive costs and |
| Mbit/s DSL level connectivity. Practical maximum data | | | | WiMAX can easily fill the gap in-between with its |
| rates in actual field tests show can only go between | | | | low-cost wireless solution. |
| 500 kbit/s to 2 Mbit/s and is quite dependent on the | | | | There is no global license assigned for WiMAX |
| conditions at a given site. | | | | although it has a very wide RF spectrum under the |
| Despite the numbers given, there are a lot of ways to | | | | IEEE 802.16 specifications. The primary band used in |
| improve the speed and range of a WiMAX connection | | | | the US for WiMAX is around 2.5 GHz although |
| using pre-existing technology. One interesting option for | | | | majority of the band is already assigned to Sprint |
| companies with analog cellular network is to let | | | | Nextel. In other parts of the world, the bands used are |
| WiMAX "share" a cell tower since it will not interfere | | | | usually around 2.3/2.5 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 5 GHz where |
| with any of the function of the cellular arrays while | | | | the 2.3/2.5 GHz is widely used in Asia. |
| utilizing the licensed radio frequencies of the analog | | | | |