WiMAX summit: 'Standards-plus' could harm 802.16 roadmap

But which roadmap will be followed?

This week's Forum meeting in Malaga, Spain will, it is hoped, make significant progress on defining requirements for these three technologies, all currently optional modes. But even more important will be the decision on whether to incorporate these modes in the certification process, the only way to ensure interoperability and avoid the 'standards-plus' products and vendor lock-in that is being seen in the Wi-Fi community as suppliers incorporate MIMO and beam forming, before these technologies are supported in the upcoming 802.11n fast WiFi standard.

Of course, the more requirements that are included in certification, the more complex the process and the specification, and the more likelihood of further delays to shipment of approved equipment. However, this should still be preferable to hasty delivery of gear that does not meet service providers' needs. In the absence of sophisticated functionality within 802.16, operators that want to deliver services more advanced than basic internet access or backhaul will look to proprietary alternatives.

Early mobility

In the mobile-oriented world, some vendors believe operators should do this anyway, achieving mobility now with nonstandard networks, provided they can secure a strong guarantee from their supplier that there will be an upgrade to 802.16e, with its pricing and interoperability benefits, in a reasonable time span (two years or so). Navini and Clearwire's equipment subsidiary NextNet are both taking this approach.

Charles Riggle, VP of business development at NextNet, claims: "We believe NextNet's products are WIMAX ready even though there is no ratified standard - in terms of features and functionality." Because it is not forced to follow a standards timeline, NextNet says it can leap ahead in some key functionality, notably a laptop-based CPE. Its third generation architecture will be embedded in a PCMCIA card by mid-2006. The company will develop its standard 802.16 product with Intel.

The issue for these pre-WiMAX mobile companies may turn out to be, not whether they can deliver functionality rapidly enough, but whether they will have to take a step backwards in order to support the 'e' standard. There is considerable pressure on the suppliers, with their technology roadmaps, and on the Forum, in terms of the complexity of options it can support, to ensure that particular dilemma does not arise to confuse the market further. Firm decisions and clear strategies will be required in 2005 to prevent dangerous fragmentation of the WiMAX market from 2006.

Copyright © 2005, Wireless Watch

Wireless Watch is published by Rethink Research, a London-based IT publishing and consulting firm. This weekly newsletter delivers in-depth analysis and market research of mobile and wireless for business. Subscription details are here.

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