31 May 2005
While many experts are sure of broadband Wi-Max's future success in the fixed access market, analysts have expressed concerns over the technology's mobile future.
A new report from Strategy Analytics has forecast that there will be 20 million fixed Wi-Max installations around the world by 2009.
Apart from US and European projects already using fixed Wi-Max 802.16d equipment, the research group expects the most significant growth to be in the developing world.
Director of Strategy Analytics' RF and Wireless Component Service, Chris Taylor, told ZDNet: "Our analysis of provisioning costs, business models and demand leads us to conclude that Wi-Max for fixed wireless broadband services alone will generate a modest but healthy market for chips and equipment by 2009."
The potential for mobile Wi-Max is positive, promising far speedier data transfer than currently available with 3G, though there are concerns about the technology's battery life and competition with 3G and 4G networks.