WiMAX ISP as
low cost broadband?
WiMAX means Wireless Interoperabilitу Microwave
Access. WiMAX ISP is a new, progressive way of the
wireless internet access with many advantages over WiFi.
The cost of WiMax ISP may be lower than other broadband
ISPs.
WiFi and WiMax ISPs both change the face of ISP market.
Cable or DSL users are now using WiFi and WiMax as effective
tools of communication, especially with mobile devices.
WiMAX vs
WiFi
WiMax has many advantages over Wifi networks.
- WiMax channels use various frequency sub-bands, from
1.25 MHz to 20 MHz. WiMax runs on 802.16 protocol to access
on the basis of point and multipoint wireless standard. The
new protocol standards are 802.16d and 802.16e. The 802.16d
provides fixed connection while 802.16e
provides mobile access. Both protocols provide
guaranteed quality of service (QoS). WiFi uses only one
protocol.
- WiMAX ISP provides better
noise-immunity, range and reliability because of OFDM
modulation, that allows to use maximum speed of each
virtual parallel channel.
- WiMax communication system designed on the basis of
different frequency bands. It provides two different kinds
of wireless connection like line of
sight and non line of sight with
different frequency bands. WiFi vs WiMAX uses only
one band.
- WiMax ISP is available in the rural area too, while the
WiFi ISP is able to provide access for metro only.
- The coverage of WiMax tower is in the range of 3000 sq.
miles while the WiFi coverage depends on the hot spots
locations.
- WiMax ISP can access in the interior area due to
higher capacity of the base station while Wifi system
is limited to hot spot locations only. There are limited
hot spot locations available in the different
area.
- WiMax ISP uses smart antennas that "follow" the moble
abonent and concentrates its radiation
to abonent direction. WiFi doesn't.
And there are
news: Baltimore became the first USA city with full WiMAX ISP
coverage!
Sprint has launched the first city-wide WiMAX ISP service in
the USA, in Baltimore. Residents of the largest Maryland's
city will have access to a 2-4 Mbps download link,
courtesy of Sprint's XOHM business unit.
The costs start at $10 for a one-day pass, $25 for
monthly home service, $30 for mobile and $50 for access through
two device, at home and mobile.
Users need a WiMAX-capable device: XOHM is kindly selling
mobile cards for $60 and home modems for $80. XOHM's WiMAX
system uses the 2.5 GHz spectrum and should be rolled out in
the rather larger cities of Chicago and Washington DC over the
new few months.

BTW, AT&T offers
FREE WI-FI when customer orders their DSL
service. The cost of AT&T's WI-FI for
other customers is $20 per month, billed to a credit card
with a one-year term. The service is supported now
by Starbucks hot spots in 17,000 locations across the country, plus
over 54,000 domestic and international Premier Roaming
locations.
In
November 2008, AT&T has acquired WiFi hotspot operator
Wayport. It gives them a total
global hotspot count approaching 80,000. Thereby,
AT&T may be called nationwide wireless ISP
too.
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