Comments on: Is Sprint Nextel WiMAX competing with Wi-Fi? http://www.muniwireless.com/2007/04/01/is-sprint-nextel-wimax-competing-with-wi-fi/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-sprint-nextel-wimax-competing-with-wi-fi Citywide WiFi, smart grid, enterprise wireless, public safety, mobile apps Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:38:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Reggie Pugh http://www.muniwireless.com/2007/04/01/is-sprint-nextel-wimax-competing-with-wi-fi/#comment-10246 Reggie Pugh Fri, 06 Apr 2007 21:03:59 +0000 http://muniwireless.sandboxdev.com/?p=5850#comment-10246 The key to success for Sprint, Clearwire or any other provider of 4G technology is interoperability and or convergence with existing networks. WiMAX must play well with all the 2.5G, 3G and WLAN services. Why? These technologies are already entrenched in our minds and current machines and Verizon, T-Mobile, Cingular have invested much into their networks and will provide a migration to 4G with other WiMAX like technologies. I think both standards have a fit and hope the Service Providers see the hybrid-interoperability concept benefits. WiMAX-mobile (802.16e) is going to be a great technology for the mobile professional who needs a constant connection. Much like the newer cellular broadband technologies like EVDO and HSDPA. There are some willing to pay for secure, reliable connectivity at a premium. They need to provide their employees a means to reach back to the office on public networks they can trust. However with standards like 802.11n on the horizon, WiMAX will have to play nice. Then again, the VCR made way for the DVD, which made room for the MP3 and iPOD. Go figure? The key to success for Sprint, Clearwire or any other provider of 4G technology is interoperability and or convergence with existing networks.

WiMAX must play well with all the 2.5G, 3G and WLAN services. Why? These technologies are already entrenched in our minds and current machines and Verizon, T-Mobile, Cingular have invested much into their networks and will provide a migration to 4G with other WiMAX like technologies.

I think both standards have a fit and hope the Service Providers see the hybrid-interoperability concept benefits.

WiMAX-mobile (802.16e) is going to be a great technology for the mobile professional who needs a constant connection. Much like the newer cellular broadband technologies like EVDO and HSDPA.

There are some willing to pay for secure, reliable connectivity at a premium. They need to provide their employees a means to reach back to the office on public networks they can trust.

However with standards like 802.11n on the horizon, WiMAX will have to play nice.

Then again, the VCR made way for the DVD, which made room for the MP3 and iPOD. Go figure?

]]> By: Jeff Forrester http://www.muniwireless.com/2007/04/01/is-sprint-nextel-wimax-competing-with-wi-fi/#comment-10196 Jeff Forrester Thu, 05 Apr 2007 12:49:00 +0000 http://muniwireless.sandboxdev.com/?p=5850#comment-10196 I love that "short-range/limited area mobile" comment. That so outlines the larger hope of grid wireless networks. I went ahead and bit the bullet and signed up for the two year deal with Verizon for broadband and it's just really nice. I can use it wheeling down the road on a bus if I'd like. That mobile aspect will be the selling point for any Sprint/Nextel offered system - not necessarily the features or even the costs. If you buck up for one of these connections you also get relative consistent service anywhere you go. Anywhere your cell phone works, that is. That's a preferable solution to being at the mercy of "Lord only knows" wireless. Admittedly, my experience with these wireless WiFi networks is relegated largely to airports and maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm unable to get anything that's reliable with these systems. Maybe airports are a bad tool to measure the development of these networks??? I love that “short-range/limited area mobile” comment. That so outlines the larger hope of grid wireless networks. I went ahead and bit the bullet and signed up for the two year deal with Verizon for broadband and it’s just really nice. I can use it wheeling down the road on a bus if I’d like. That mobile aspect will be the selling point for any Sprint/Nextel offered system – not necessarily the features or even the costs. If you buck up for one of these connections you also get relative consistent service anywhere you go. Anywhere your cell phone works, that is. That’s a preferable solution to being at the mercy of “Lord only knows” wireless. Admittedly, my experience with these wireless WiFi networks is relegated largely to airports and maybe I’m mistaken, but I’m unable to get anything that’s reliable with these systems. Maybe airports are a bad tool to measure the development of these networks???

]]> By: Michael Blossom http://www.muniwireless.com/2007/04/01/is-sprint-nextel-wimax-competing-with-wi-fi/#comment-10063 Michael Blossom Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:25:27 +0000 http://muniwireless.sandboxdev.com/?p=5850#comment-10063 Good thoughts - I think you are pretty much correct. We continue to revisit this topic on a continual basis, to determine when or if it makes sense to include WiMAX as a communication offering in our application (AMR). It's hard to tell most days exactly what WiMAX wants to be when it grows up. Cellular 2G & 3G solutions, with their licensed frequencies and wide coverage footprints, already offer good fixed/nomadic/mobile data solutions for many applications - albeit at a high price point, with limited throughput, and with carrier-imposed limits on devices and applications. As long as WiFi continues to expand its push as a low-cost, open, high-speed, device-agnostic, fixed/nomadic (and maybe short-range/limited area mobile?) solution, it's hard to see where WiMAX will be able to supplant either of them in the near future. I think it will find a place, no doubt, I'm just not convinced it can overcome the proliferation and ever-expanding ubiquity of WiFi and cellular. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see widespread low-cost WiMAX networks offering cellular range and coverage along with the openness and speed of WiFi. I'm just not yet convinced that Sprint shares that vision. Good thoughts – I think you are pretty much correct. We continue to revisit this topic on a continual basis, to determine when or if it makes sense to include WiMAX as a communication offering in our application (AMR). It’s hard to tell most days exactly what WiMAX wants to be when it grows up.

Cellular 2G & 3G solutions, with their licensed frequencies and wide coverage footprints, already offer good fixed/nomadic/mobile data solutions for many applications – albeit at a high price point, with limited throughput, and with carrier-imposed limits on devices and applications.

As long as WiFi continues to expand its push as a low-cost, open, high-speed, device-agnostic, fixed/nomadic (and maybe short-range/limited area mobile?) solution, it’s hard to see where WiMAX will be able to supplant either of them in the near future. I think it will find a place, no doubt, I’m just not convinced it can overcome the proliferation and ever-expanding ubiquity of WiFi and cellular.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see widespread low-cost WiMAX networks offering cellular range and coverage along with the openness and speed of WiFi. I’m just not yet convinced that Sprint shares that vision.

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