The death of WiMAX technology at the hands of LTE may havebeen announced prematurely, says ABI Research.
According to analysts, even though some key players hadbacked away from the technology, with Nortel ditching its mobile WiMAX businessentirely and Alcatel-Lucent refocusing its R&D spend, the truth was quitedifferent.
While Nortel had indeed left the mobile arena, it hasmaintained its fixed WiMAX business, and Alcatel-Lucent had refocused its WiMAXresearch spend because it viewed the technology “more as a wireless broadbandsolution than a fully mobile wireless solution”.
“Contrary to the popular view Alcatel-Lucent is still verymuch involved with mobile WiMAX,” said principal analyst Philip Solis. “Thecompany has had its 3.5GHz products certified by the WiMAX forum; it’s ‘ngConnect’ programme includes mobile WiMAX; and it is working with Intel on aninteroperability programme for mobile WiMAX devices.”
ABI predicted that WiMAX subscriber revenue will grow byover 4,000% in 2009 alone, and suggested that the industry would be foolish tothrow everything into LTE just yet.
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