Wimax v 3G: will 3G run into problems soon?

One of the things I didn't get around to reporting on at CES a few weeks back was Intel's Wimax stand.

It had several laptops on display from Dell and Lenovo (among other brands) that had the Wimax processor built-in. For those unaware, such a laptop can receive a Wimax broadband signal, if it's available. In Ireland, Imagine has launched Wimax and is building it out across the country's biggest cities and towns. The service offers speeds of 7Mbs (for €25 per month).

The Intel demonstrator knew all about Imagine. He knew about the frequencies involved and the general project underway in Ireland. This would tend to lend credence to Imagine's claims that Intel is taking Ireland seriously as a Wimax test-bed.

I asked him about competition, especially from mobile 3G networks, who will soon move to speeds of ("up to") 14Mbs and, according to the head of 3 Ireland, may hit 28Mbs by the end of 2010.

He made one interesting point about mobile 3G broadband. While the speeds can be turned up, there is a lack of spectrum to host very many people using the service at the same time. That means that if the numbers signing on to 3G broadband continue to grow at the pace they're doing at the moment, it doesn't matter how fast a download speed an optimum signal can deliver: it'll never deliver more than 2Mbs or 3Mbs at peak usage times.

Right now, though, 3G definitely has the edge over Wimax. The main reason for this is coverage. If you sign up for a Vodafone, O2, Meteor or 3 Ireland 3G dongle, you can use it just about anywhere in the country. (Okay, so there are a few place not covered. But the vast, vast, VAST majority is covered.)

You can also use it in some European countries (although watch out for data roaming costs, which are insanely expensive). At the moment, you can only use Wimax in a handful of Irish cities and not when you're on the road.

Comments

[Evert Bopp]

One if the factors that will work in the favor of Wimax in the medium & long term is that 3G networks are creaking under the current data-load and that the ROI is very low. A lot of the 3G/mobile broadband providers are actively looking at means to offload the data to public wifi as a cheaper alternative. Look at the purchase of 400,000 FON routers by an "unnamed party" recently. That was not done just to build a public wifi network.
3G is expensive, for the provider even more than the user. Wimax is more profitable and also offers a much better user -experience.

[Neal]

Wimax IEEE 802.16e is just a first step before we get the real Wimax IEEE 802.16m, which will unequivocally provide us with average download speeds of 170Mbs and upload speeds of 90Mbs. Source Intel.

This is to be confirmed by the ITU in June of 2010 and will no doubt change the discourse of Wimax vs LTE vs HSPA. Wimax IEEE 802.16m is backwardly compatible with legacy Wimax 802.16e and will not disrupt service when being upgraded.

With download speeds in excess of 100Mbs, backward compatibility and a mature eco system in 147 nations around the world Wimax's future is etched in stone. If their are any questions regarding future platforms, they should be attached to LTE and HSPA not Wimax.

[Tony Scott]

I have been told today by Meteor that they have run out of 3G capacity in Limerick nd don't see that this can be upgraded within 9-12 months. They have told me to switch my HTC Hero back to 2G to avoid the problems.

[Justin]

Wimax Imagine is the worst ISP in Ireland. The phone is so bad and crackling and patchy. Having had it for two month's now I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I'm paying the €25.00 an month and so far the speed is not great. It's just Irish Broadband relabled

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