WiMAX vs LTE: A Pretty Breakdown of the Future of Mobile Broadband
IntoMobile’s done the wireless community a great justice in bringing together a great looking comparison document that gives us an easier-to-digest look at the advantages and disadavantages of both WiMax and LTE. While many might be inclined to argue that “4G is 4G,” you should care because the future of both of these technologies will impact your mobile data usage based on where you live and what carriers you use.
The chart is good for those wondering what technology might net them the fastest possible speeds. Right now, it’s WiMax (considering LTE rollouts have yet to begin in most markets). In the future, LTE is expected to be miles ahead of current WiMAX technology, while WiMAX technology even further down the line can still catch up to (and surpass) what LTE brings to the table.
It’s all about speed, but availability isn’t to be ignored, as well. If you’re outside the US market, you’re most probably on a GSM network. The GSM association has put their support behind LTE, and most carriers (even some that are non-GSM) are set to follow that path. For most of you, that means LTE will probably be the only option you have even if you would much rather use WiMAX.
LTE and WiMAX – and their associated pitfalls and high points – have been discussed, researched, compared and analyzed for quite some time, and IntoMobile’s chart does well in giving you a lot of the information and insight that is important to you regarding the future of mobile broadband.
