Sprint Nextel revealed on Friday that it would not be following through with the previously announced plans to build a mobile WiMAX network with Clearwire; at least not within the timescales previously mentioned.Both WiMAX and LTE (Long Term Evolution) are aiming to meet the ITU’s 4G requirement of 100Mbit/s data rates in a mobile environment.
Here's another summary of WiMAX's prospects (also from Analysys) from March '07. It poo-poos the opportunity in developing world, citing high Cap-Ex and the greater value placed on voice (rather than data) services.
In developed markets, head-to-head competition with DSL could be disastrous for WiMAX.Here are Analysys' success criteria:
- a WiMAX operator with a large existing customer base, strong brand and substantial marketing budget, to expedite the growth in customer numbers
- strong demand for mobility, to enable a significant price premium over fixed broadband services
- free spectrum available
- low frequency of operation (2.5GHz), to minimise the number of WiMAX base stations required
- strong leverage over terminal vendors, to drive substantial price declines
- existing base station and transmission infrastructure, to minimise capital investment.
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