WiMAX Hope or Hype

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WiMAX Hope or Hype

• ARABCOM 2004
• Hans Jürgen Tscheulin
• Beirut June 2004

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Content
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1. Theses on Broadband Access
The development of broadband world is depending
on availability of simple, cheap and easily
deployable broadband access facilities
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• Broadband Penetration in ME - Comparison2.1 Fixe
  d vs. Mobile

The leading function of mobile is also obvious
in Middle East. Exceptions will disappear
Source ITU
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• Broadband Penetration in ME - Comparison2.2 Broa
  dband Road Status

There is presently a low or zero level of
Broadband penetration in Middle East compared to
Asia, Europe or US
Source ITU
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• Broadband Penetration in ME - Comparison2.3 The
  new ITU Index

Shortage of infrastructure is the main reason for
the low broadband penetration in Middle East
DAI-range that indicates shortage of
infrastructure
Source ITU
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3. Overview on Broadband Access Solutions
Many Broadband Access Types are not really
serious players in the mass market race
Wireless MAN (WiMAX)
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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3. Overview on Broadband Access Solutions

Typical provider investments for Broadband Access
solutions tend to be in the range from 300 500
US per subscriber
Satellite DSL
CATV-Cable
All figures are without investment for customer
premises equipment
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4. What is IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) ?

• Buzz words like WiMAX threatens DSL, WiAMX
  pushes low-cost MANs, WiMAX unwires the world
  are in the market
• Fact is WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for
  Microwave Access) is an industry trade
  organization formed by leading equipment and
  component companies that promotes and certifies
  compatibility and interoperability of broadband
  wireless access that conforms to the IEEE 802.16
  and ETSI HIPERMAN standards
• The 802.16a standard is a wireless metropolitan
  area network (MAN) technology that will provide a
  wireless alternative to cable, DSL and T1/E1 for
  last mile broadband access. It will also be used
  as complimentary technology to connect 802.11 hot
  spots to the Internet
• IEEE 802.16a
• has both licensed and license-exempt frequency
  bands
• is designed for subscriber density
• is designed for metropolitan performance
• is designed for carrier class operation
• is designed for distance
• complements 802.11 by creating a complete MAN-LAN
  solution

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4. What is IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) ?
IEEE 802.16 is newly adopted standard for
wireless Metropolian Area Networks which was
harmonized with ETSI HiperMAN
WAN
IEEE 802.20 (proposed)
3GPP, EDGE (GSM)
MAN
IEEE 802.16 WirelessMAN
ETSI HiperMAN HIPERACCESS
LAN
IEEE 802.11 WirelessLAN
ETSI HiperLAN
PAN
IEEE 802.15 Bluetooth
ETSI HiperPAN
Source WiMAX Forum
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4. What is IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) ?
There is an overlap in broadband access between
WLAN IEEE 802.11, WiMAX IEEE 802.16 and mobile
networks for low mobility broadband usage

100 10 1 0.1 0.01

Radio Transmission Speed (Mbps)
Wireless LAN
EDGE
EDGE
Wireless MAN
3G

GPRS
GPRS
GSM
Office Hotspots Urban
Sub- Country- Home
Urban Side
Reach
Low Mobility
Unlimited Mobility
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5. Main Features of wireless MAN Standard IEEE
802.16
Whilst WLAN 802.11 is restricted to unlicensed
ISM and UNII bands, 802.16 is designed to use
licensed and unlicensed bands
UNII
International Licensed
International Licensed
US Licensed
Japan Licensed
ISM
ISM

GHz
1
3
2
4
5
ISM Industrial, Scientific Medical Band
Unlicensed band
UNII Unlicensed National Information
Infrastructure band Unlicensed band
Source WiMAX Forum
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5. Main Features of wireless MAN Standard IEEE
802.16
The recently adopted standard 802.16a is the most
interesting part
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WiMAX Backhaul for Business
6. IEEE 802.16 Applications
Point to Point BACKHAUL
Non Line of Sight Point to Multi-point
802.11
Telco Core Network or Private (Fiber,Satellite)
Network
FRACTIONAL E1/T1 for SMALL BUSINESS
INTERNET BACKBONE
Internet Backbone
E1/T1 LEVEL SERVICE ENTERPRISE
Source WiMAX Forum
Courtesy of Intel Corporation 2003
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WiMAX Consumer Last Mile
6. IEEE 802.16 Applications
Non Line of Sight Point to Multi-point
OUTDOOR CPE
Point to Point BACKHAUL
802.11
802.11802.16
INDOOR CPE
Telco Core Network or Private (Fiber, Satellite)
Network
INTERNET BACKBONE
Internet Backbone
Source WiMAX Forum
Courtesy of Intel Corporation 2003
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WiMAX Nomadic / Portable
6. IEEE 802.16 Applications
Non Line of Sight Point to Multi-point
Line of Sight BACKHAUL
802.16
802.16
Telco Core Network or Private (Fiber) Network
Laptop Connected Through 802.16
802.16 PC Card
SEEKS BEST CONNECTION
INTERNET BACKBONE
2 to 3 Kilometers Away
Source WiMAX Forum
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8. Should Telcos take WiMAX on their Radar?
The answer is definitely YES

• The new standard offers full interoperability for
  all kinds of equipments. But
• Mass market is expected to start in 2005/2006.
  Interoperability offers the chance to lower
  equipment price significantly
• Telcos should execute life field trial and
  create rough business plan based incorporating
  trial results. A main aspect is the customer
  premises equipment. It should be simple, low-cost
  and available. The proof is not yet obvious.
• The new standard has the potential to incorporate
  voice and video. But
• Voice solutions are still different from simple
  broadband internet access. Low-cost customer
  equipment for VoIP is not yet in the market
• The new standard will encompass proprietary LMDS
  and WLL solutions. But
• Telcos should reconsider or stop purchasing
  proprietary LMDS and WLL procurement programs in
  the light of a standardized and interoperable
  system for broadband access
• Telcos should lobby early for the respective
  licensed frequency bands with their regulator
• The new standard can serve large sub-urban areas
  with Broadband Internet Access. But
• The new standard could theoretically cover large
  areas. The system performance is higher within an
  area of up to 6 miles. The system design is to
  serve mass market with appropriate bandwidth per
  customer
• The standard has the potential to serve as well
  country-side areas and scarcely populated areas.
  The low-cost proof is not yet obvious

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Your Contact

Hans Jürgen Tscheulin Managing Partner Detecon
International GmbH Oberkasseler Strasse
2 D-53227 Bonn (Germany) Phone [phone]
2100 Fax [phone] Mobile [phone]
4109 e-Mail hans-juergen.tscheulin_at_detecon.com