WiMAX 2 Garnering More Interest From Hardware Vendors
Naturally, progression from one decent piece of technology to an even better piece of technology should attract supporters and ralliers, right? Well, WiMAX 2 is doing just that. As more and more realize that WiMAX 1.0 is – even with its relatively early adoption cycle – beginning to lose its luster, others are trying to fast forward the steamroll process and get 2.0 out to data-hungry consumers and businesses pronto.
For those that don’t understand the WiMAX debacle, the technology in its current state is hardly enough to consider its capabilities sufficient for “4G” needs: Sprint’s WiMAX 4G network barely outperforms earlier 3G standards set in the previous and current generation of mobile data. WiMAX 2.0 promises to do away with that problem by enabling WiMAX 2.0-ready devices to bring you speeds of 100mbs/1gbps.
So what’s the problem?
Sprint and Clearwire does not sit on that list. Sprint – perhaps the biggest supporter of current WiMAX standards in America – is either halting on the move or could be thinking about LTE-A as their next move, and Clearwire – probably one of the biggest names in the mobile data space period – is almost certain they’ll be leaving the WiMAX train for greener pastures in LTE-A.
Was it too little, too late for WiMAX?
In the States, at least, we only know of 1 device and 1 carrier pushing WiMAX as if it were the second coming – Sprint and their yet-to-be-released HTC EVO 4G – and even then we aren’t certain just how far they’ll expand their WiMAX reach across the market. As far as other handset makers are concerned, Samsung and Motorola could both be eye-ing WiMAX 2.0 purely for marketing and novelty value in pushing their next generation of handsets (although we have to remember that both of these companies have their hands in the mobile-data game outside of their consumer handsets, too).
One thing’s for certain: we’re going to be seeing an aggressive war between LTE and WiMAX heat up in 2010. Assuming that any other mobile phone manufacturers hop into bed with carriers to bring a dreamy pair of next-gen WiMAX headsets and the accompanying data to a larger market, it could see the immediate and rapid expansion of LTE-A as it is. For consumers, that inevitably means more, better, faster phones to get your hands on (and mobile data technology in the United States that will finally match up to our friends across the ocean).
Question to you readers (and my shameful attempt at making this Android related): do you guys think this will encourage carriers to do away with the technological requirement of providing VoIP services via non-traditional methods (such as call routing)? I know plenty of Skype and Vonage Mobile users are still peeved that a true data solution doesn’t exist, and rapid adoption of either WiMAX or LTE next generation technology will hopefully do away with that nonsense. How important is 4G to you and your Android? Give your own take on this in the comments!
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