The Yankee Group, analyses the convergence of wireless mobile market with the world of fixed wireless solutions, under the umbrella of broadband wireless.
Companies are offering a variety of different service technology options to the market that may compete or work in conjunction with each other to meet user requirements for higher bandwidth lower latency solutions. A slew of different technologies from either fixed or mobile origins include mainstream options like UMTS and CDMA2000, and more exotic technologies like WiMAX, flash-OFDM and TDD-WCDMA. They differ in terms of their degree of mobility, level of performance and their market penetration.
Developed first for fixed wireless under guise of 802.16a, WiMAX is evolving to support mobility with the 802.16e standard, but its not expected before 2006. Flash-OFDM and TDD-WCDMA technologies are currently available and have been developed for mobile applications. In many cases, these technologies are finding their way into fixed applications.
Timing is essential for the success of technologies such as 802.16e, flash-OFDM and TDD-WCDMA, because mobile carriers must choose their broadband technology soon. Flash-OFDM and TDD-WCDMA are commercially available, giving them an advantage over 802.16e. Alternative technologies such as WiMAX may offer performance improvements over mainstream options. However, on the downside, they lack economies of scale and can have potential supply chain challenges, particularly for devices positioned for the mass market.
For end users, the increasing range of options adds to market confusion. Users are already puzzled by a host of meaningless acronyms thrown at them from wireless and wireline carriers. Much depends on how vendors and service providers position the new technologies in the marketplace to drive adoption. In this report, the Yankee Group examines the timeline and availability of these different broadband wireless options, with particular emphasis on WiMAX, from both a technology and market application perspective.
Source: The Yankee Group
2004-12-15
Em Foco – Empresa