(Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from our WiMAX Business Deployment Guide, a FREE DOWNLOAD from our site. In this excerpt we present our executive summary, self explanatory below. Enjoy and download your copy today!)
Executive Summary — Portability may be why WiMAX Might Make Sense for your Business Broadband Needs
Business users evaluating WiMAX for their broadband and Internet-access needs may be surprised to find that the simple portability of the new services may be more useful, at least for right now, than the cellular-like capabilites that qualify WiMAX as a true next-generation wireless technology.
Combined with aggressive introductory pricing plans, true broadband access speeds and no limits on data usage, WiMAX services that are now being introduced across the U.S. can deliver immediate benefits for businesses small and large, and often with little to no impact on a company’s existing network infrastructure.
For single-person/home-office operations, WiMAX services such as those offered by nascent national provider Clearwire Corp. which combine office and mobile services into a single bill seem to offer attractive alternatives to existing wired and wireless broadband options, which when bundled together currently cost much more than the WiMAX packages. At commercial download speeds typically in the range of 4 Mbps to 6 Mbps, Clearwire’s WiMAX services already surpass most DSL or T-1 offerings, and are priced in the same range or below that of a typical cellular voice contract.
Since it can and already does support a true broadband connection in cellular fashion — say, full video streaming into a WiMAX-equipped car driving at 60 mph — WiMAX holds the promise of being able to support a new future of mobile computing for devices and applications not yet invented. But in 2009, the simple fact that built-in support for such mobility allows WiMAX services to be added easily and inexpensively to any business’s existing or developing broadband-access plans — in the form of a broadband link that can be moved across the hall, across campus, across town or even put in someone’s pocket — makes it already a compelling choice for many existing businesses’ Internet needs.
Since WiMAX is only available now in a handful of large U.S. metro areas, it does not yet make sense for businesses who are looking to support employees with national or international roaming needs covering a large number of locales. But for businesses interested in being able to add more bandwidth quickly — without digging trenches, wiring buildings or signing long-term contracts — WiMAX services may offer sizable cost reductions as well as support new applications or greater use by employees who might now be able to stay connected anywhere within a metro service area.
Like any wireless service, all WiMAX contracts should come with a caveat that states “depending on what hill, building, mountain, tree or rock you are hiding behind while trying to connect to the tower, your download speeds may vary.” The good news for businesses who evaluate technology innovations wisely is that Clearwire’s start-up marketing plans include an almost unheard-of option in the world of telecom services — the ability to sign up for monthly or even day-pass plans. This “try before you buy” option gives business users a low-risk way to test WiMAX services in action, to accurately judge if the services fit their needs and perform as advertised in the places they will need it to work.
(Need to know more about WiMAX and Clearwire? Order our Clearwire NTK report, for Clearwire Need To Know, and get the latest update on all things Clearwire for just $4.95!)
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