WiMAX: The Future of Wireless Internet

WiMAX, which stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is an evolutionary new technology being developed. As a student I found this technology particularly interesting mostly because like many students I have a laptop and I am in a constant search for a wireless connection whenever I‘m not on campus or at home. WiMAX would forever eradicate that problem because in layman’s terms it is a wireless connection that would cover almost all areas like a cell phone connection. Not only does this technology affect me personally it will also have an affect on how organizations do business. WiMAX needs two things to be operational. The first is a WiMAX tower similar to a cell phone tower that can deliver wireless Internet to an area of up to 3000 square miles. The second thing needed is a receiver that hopefully will be built in to laptops like WiFi is now. Unfortunately WiMAX is not at the stage where you whole cities are covered, but organizations are using this technology to lengthen their wireless signals, these are just fixed wireless networks but eventually they will be nomadic. Just last month Sprint Nextel pledged to start a new wireless broadband network using WiMAX which means that nationwide coverage may be available by 2008. This development puts WiFi (the current wireless) and WiMAX in direct competitions, which can only benefit the consumer and organization.
The obvious advantage of WiMAX is the fact that it would supply wireless Internet to the whole country so anyone can access the Internet at any time. This would beneficially affect businesses because they could get to data at any time, any place. Also WiMAX would supply Internet to black out zones, zones where there is no wireless and no cable connection to the Internet. For certain organizations like oil companies where employees work in remote locations this would make there jobs easier because they could get the information they need from coworkers that may work in the city. Another advantage of this technology is that it is extremely easy to access the internet, it would be automatic once you enter the service area. My last advantage of WiMAX is the fact that unlike the system used now (WiFi) there wouldn’t be a constant battle for a connection with varying amounts of broadband width. Each customer gets so much broadband and when it is all used up the rest of the customers are directed to another WiMAX tower. This makes WiMAX reliable and companies can invest in one tower instead of a bunch of access points.
A disadvantage of WiMAX that has been talked about lately is that it says its signal goes for about thirty miles but under non-ideal conditions that number can be as low as five miles. Therefore if companies build them thirty miles apart there will be areas that the signal does not reach. It is also being said that you need a line of sight for farther then five miles and that poor weather conditions like rain or snow can disrupt the signal. This brings a cloud over the otherwise exciting new technology. Another disadvantage of WiMAX at the moment is the fact that because the towers aren’t built yet no one can use the technology and also so many people use WiFi and already have all the hardware for it for most people there is no incentive to change. Overall this gives WiMAX a hard time in trying to build it self up until it is nation-wide.

Reference:

How WiMAX works. (2007). Howstuffworks. Retrieved on September 27th 2007 from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wimax.htm

Sprint’s Boundless Ambition. (2007). Business Week Online Magazine. Retrieved on September 27th 2006 from http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2006/tc20060808_244294.htm?chan=top+news_top+news

WiMAX holds promise to help narrow the digital divide. (2006). WiMaxxed. Retrieved on September 27th 2007 from http://www.wimaxxed.com/wimax_reports/20060224/wimax_holds_pro.html

WiMAX the future of wireless Internet access?. (2006). ChristopherJason.com. Retrieved on September 27th 2007 from http://www.christopherjason.com/articles/wimax-broadband-internet/