Not necessary. I've been using HSDPA for about 2 months now. Speed is good, coverage is pretty much anywhere you get a mobile phone signal, and its cheap...I have a pay as you go, and 15 quid gets you 3 gigs over 30 days no contract.

Fair enough they are using 4000 sites at 900/1800 - but how many of those are street level or micro installs ? The issues you'll see with WiMax are going to require a higher level of nodes probably at street level to compensate for the loss and lack of penetration at 3.5GHz, but on the other hand your not really having to worry so much about the interoperability and mobility as you would on a fully deployed GSM/UMTS/HS*PA network.

In order to make this kind of thing work in the real world, you need more than hardware (base station and laptop). You need (for example) a co-operating network operator with a clue, and with money. Intel can help with the money - in the UK they funded Pipex Wireless's WiMax network [1], but whether Pipex Wireless had a clue remains to be seen, and in the UK the network was set up for fixed access. Countrywide roaming isn't quite the same as fixed access.

Probability of success: 0-30%.

Meanwhile, the UK's "main" (or mainly invisible since 2003) fixed wireless broadband access operator, PCCW or Now! or whatever they're called this week, were recently granted permission for roaming using their existing (but mainly invisible) 3.5GHz network [2] What they don't have afaik is Intel money, or a service in 90%+ of the UK.

Probability of success: 0-5%

[1] http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/05/pipex_wimax_freedom4/

[2] http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/23/ofcom_pccw_spectrum/

The standard is 802.16e. 802.11x being the standard for WiFi

I wouldn't be so sure with this need of more stations (nodes) - don't forget that WiMax is strongly NLOS which may compensate worse propagation at higher frequencies.

I think you mean 802.16e don't you? Otherwise your comments are correct re the number of base stations, in-building penetration and usage. Another factor is the cost of Mobile Wimax CPE/USB dongles etc - still expensive and littel choice.