WiMax fever intensifies

WiMax is one of the fastest growing emerging sectors within the world's telecoms industry, with the global market potential estimated to be worth up to $1bn in 2007 and $4bn by 2010, according to recent research from analyst firm Maravedis. 

Motorola has recently been gearing up for a WiMax offensive on a global scale, under the prediction that interoperability and last mile data connectivity will be leading factors in accelerating the technology's widespread adoption.

At the WiMax World conference, held in the US last week, Motorola and research group Trendsmedia surveyed attendees to discover that 45 per cent of respondents believe the ability to achieve seamless mobility through interoperability of various devices and networks will be the tipping point for the success of WiMax. 

However, 57 per cent of respondents are also prepared to wait for the 802.16e standard, which includes full mobility, instead of deploying 802.16d or proprietary solutions which only support fixed wireless or nomadic services.

Motorola announced an alliance with chip giant Intel earlier this week to advance the use of mobile WiMax, based on the proposed IEEE 802.16e standard, and earlier this year committed to further development of both 802.16d and e with the unveiling of its MOTOwi4 product line of fixed and mobile broadband infrastructure.