Must they go head to head with one another or will they learn to live together happily ever after?

Dr. Jeffrey Bannister

The huge growth of the Internet over the last ten years has enhanced the way in which we communicate and work. Applications such as browsing, email, Instant Messaging and now cheap or free Voice over IP services such as Skype have become everyday tools.  To cope with the increasing demand by people to be always connected, different technologies have emerged that will allow for reasonably priced, widely available Internet access.

These technologies, of which 3G and Wimax currently predominate in media coverage, appear to be similar in scope and objectives and many are asking which is the best and whether the others will survive.3G which is currently the most visible wireless service promises ubiquitous mobile access for all.

3G mobile devices can access the Internet, download content such as video and music, check emails and do much more at far better speeds than second generation networks.  The global roaming we are already familiar with for voice is now becoming equally applicable to all other data services.

Nevertheless, uptake of 3G among mobile subscribers has been excruciatingly slow.  Most telcos have only managed to migrate around 10% of their subscriber base, the ‘early adopters’, over to the 3G network. 

At the same time, users are also demanding more and more bandwidth so as to enhance their multimedia experience on the network and get better value for money with more throughput at a lower cost.  In the 3G arena, both of the incumbent local operators (like their overseas counterparts) are now offering HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) which is an enhancement to the existing 3G network. HSDPA allows potentially up to nearly 15Mbps of throughput and is often referred to as 3.5G, or super 3G.  First offerings however will be in the 2-3Mbps range.

Network upgrades such as that being done HSDPA give telcos a lot of scope in the nature of services they can support, as well as increasing the numbers of users that can access the network simultaneously.  Thus far, telcos are only using HSDPA as a mobile broadband service as the only HSDPA devices made available are data cards for notebook PCs. Marketing has been concentrated on users who want Internet access to connect them to their existing services rather than opening up the market by offering new and exciting services.

So where does WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) fit into all of this?  WiMAX has its origins in extending the WiFi or wireless LAN concept to cover larger areas such as a city – so called wireless metropolitan access networks (MAN).  The initial technology looked at point-to-points wireless links essentially as a replacement for high speed cabling. Wimax offered the advantage of simpler installation, i.e. it doesn’t require our streets to be dug up.  At the beginning of this year a mobile version of WiMAX (officially 802.16e) was ratified as an international standard. 

WiMax can operate in what is known as the unlicensed band, where equipment does not need a license to operate provided it does not transmits with too much power.  This unlicensed band which is at 2.4 GHz is also used by many other systems such as Bluetooth, digital cordless telephones and incidentally microwave ovens!  Since transmission is at low power, we can only get coverage over short distances typically 10-100m.

But Wimax is also designed for licensed frequency bands. When Wimax is implemented in licensed bands it allows coverage of users in the kilometer range, therefore encroaching on the domain of cellular communications.

This has raised the question whether these are competitive or complementary technologies. 3G cellular network are offering more data services, while new technologies such as WiMAX cover the same area of wireless/mobile data services and with also the ability to support voice and other multimedia services.

Any talk of a battle royale is still premature however.

For the time being, 3G still has the upper hand over WiMAX.  Standards are well defined and continue to evolve to keep pace with technological advances.  Devices and networks are already rolled out and widely available globally.  While uptake has been slow, a major shift over to 3G will probably occur as users buy the latest mobile device which will, by default, be 3G enabled.

By comparison, WiMAX is the new kid on the block, and development of equipment according to the standard has only begun relatively recently.

What WiMAX is currently caught up in is the typical industry and media hype that we saw happen for 3G in 2000/2001.  Just like rock stars and footballers, once we’re bored with adoration, we will push WiMAX off its perch. Incidentally, the same thing happened circa 2003/2004 in the case of 3G. What WiMax will really do at some point of time is that it will open up the market for more providers of bandwidth, which will eventually drive down the cost of the access, mobile devices and equipment.  Intel has already indicated that they will routinely incorporate WiMAX into their chipsets as they did before with WiFi.  This will mean future laptops will have WiMAX capability.  However, for mass markets, laptops are considered as high end devices so a cheaper option for connectivity will still be required.  This option will likely be fulfilled by 3G. 

At the same time, we will probably see mobile devices evolving to incorporate several different access technologies including 3G, WiMAX, WiFi and even other technologies. Several mobile devices, such as the new Nokia N Series, already incorporate 2G/3G, WiFi and Bluetooth wireless technologies.

The bottom line is that both technologies have something to offer and healthy competition between them should drive access prices down which is good for end users.  An environment where both these technologies exist will be particularly helpful for realizing one goal set out under the government’s MyICMS886 plan which is the provision of access for all. 

Once we have affordable, convenient access it will then be content, i.e. applications and services that will drive the market thus enriching our experiences.