WiMax to cover 1 billion by 2012, says Intel Craig Barrett banged the drum for WiMAX in the opening keynote of IDF today. But only quietly, and not for very long. In a speech that dwelled on socio-economic issues more than hard technology, Barrett slipped out a couple of predictions for takeup on the to-date unloved mobile data standard. “We should see 50 million people …
So how's the Intel-funded launch of the Pipex(Wireless)-operated now-renamed Freedom4 WiMax doing? The announcement was in August 2006, the first area to be covered was Milton Keynes (which is one of those areas where WiMax ought to be able to succeed, as both MK's cable and phone networks aren't really broadband-compatible).
As reported in October 2007, still no launch, not even firm prices (and still no obvious prices on the Freedom4 website). Where are they now? Over there in a box, with Intel's discarded Itanium "industry standard 64 bit" marketing fluff, I thunk, even though their coverage map now shows MK, Warwick, and Manchester as places where the service is available (if you're in one of those places try a few postcodes on Freedom4's coverage checker, none worked for me in MK but I may have been unlucky).
Earlier reports:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/21/pipex_miltonkeynes_wimax_wireless/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/05/pipex_wimax_freedom4/
And then, in theory, there's the WiMax (or WiMax-like) network from PCCW or UK Broadband or whatever they're invisibly called this week, despite having bought *all* the regional licences for fixed wireless access broadband a few years ago.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/06/pccw_broadband_netvigator/
"Which simply emphasises the technology’s potential for filling in the gaps in telecoms' networks, not that it is the preferred comms standard for dictatorships, precarious democracies and failed states."
It certainly can be though as its potential is unlimited. It's a Yin Yang thing with Best in Class Content Provision being the Class Leader Defining Natural and National Divisions/Partitions/Strengths.
I've seen some of it in Bolivia (second poorest country in South America). They offer 128kbps which is nothing really to write home about in developed world but there average speeds on ADSL are also like that and it is a ground breaker. Also they offer you unlimited downloads. It works really fine as at that speed they're not clogging their infrastructure. It's also cheaper to put few masts here and there (most of them are there already for mobiles) than dig the holes for cables.
Just my 2p.
When BT got into bed with Phorm I was determined to drop BT Broadband ASAP. I tried and tried to get a MAC from BT, but they kept on coming up with excuses ("the system that generates the MACs is down", usually).
Then this bloke from our local cable company knocked on the door offering their new WiMax service. 2 phone lines, 'free' 01,02 and 03 calls 24/7 and 8MB broadband for £29 a month (and free installation). I was *so* pissed off with BT that I took a risk, signed up and dumped BT entirely.
Know what, its bloody brilliant. I actually get closer to 10MBps download (and 1MBps upload), no slowdown at peak times and no apparent traffic shaping. Two phone lines are really useful and the missus can rabbit 24/7 without running up a huge bill OR blocking incoming calls.
Considering I was previously getting peak speeds of around 4MBps with BT ADSL which slowed to around 250KBps at peak times, I'm *well* pleased.
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