New specifications for mobile WiMAX and world growth of fixed/portable WiMAX are key factors pushing WiMAX penetration and creating a sizable WiMAX equipment market through the next decade, according to a new study from Visant Strategies.
The new specifications for 802.16m addresses a number of system shortcomings within 802.16e while improving costs and increasing the appeal of WiMAX in emerging economies, the study finds. The latest version of WiMAX also is helping blur the line between fixed and mobile services as handoff and uplink capabilities are improved.
“Most mobile carriers have committed to LTE for 4G, sometimes after HSPA plus, but WiMAX equipment makers will still enjoy a vigorous market” said Andy Fuertes of Visant Strategies. “Low cost PC initiatives, falling WiMAX costs and the global availability of the 3.5 GHz band for basic fixed broadband services presents a very large opportunity for WiMAX equipment vendors.”
According to the report, “Fixed, Portable and Mobile WiMAX: Building a Market Today and Influencing Choices Tomorrow,” all WiMAX equipment revenues will reach over $35 billion from 2010 to 2016 and mobile WiMAX subscribers will grow globally almost eight-fold by that time.
“There will be a very large fixed broadband audience by 2016, over one billion according to the findings in the report, and fixed/portable WiMAX will account for a good share of this audience and help seed mobile WiMAX use as these same carriers expand their coverage area in many emerging regions,” said Larry Swasey of Visant Strategies. “We are already seeing WiMAX deployments in emerging economies that allow intra- and inter-city portability, the beginning of the seeding.”
For more information contact Visant Strategies.
