WiMax to make it as a 'last-mile' broadband tech?

WiMax could be used as a 'last mile' substitute tech for DSL broadband by 47 million people within five years, says a new report by analyst Juniper Research.

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The report, entitled The Last Mile: Opportunities for WiMAX, 2008-2013, says the global opportunity for WiMax 802.16e to deliver local loop broadband connectivity is significant. It predicts the tech will begin to take off between 2009 and 2011, and says the market will be worth more than $20bn annually by 2013.

Report author Howard Wilcox said in a statement: "WiMax can deliver broadband not only to unwired areas but can also improve speeds for subscribers who are on the fringe of DSL coverage in metropolitan areas."

He added: "We anticipate that mobile usage will develop after initial demand for fixed and portable services - WiMax 802.16e is a flexible platform that can operate in all three modes of usage."

Juniper predicts the top regions for WiMax in the local loop will be the Far East, North America, Western Europe and Africa/Middle East. It anticipates WiMax will garner around 12 per cent of the forecast DSL subscriber base for 2013.

However the analyst said the success of WiMax is dependent on two factors: the availability of suitable devices and timely network construction.

The many well-publicised trials of WiMax must be translated into commercial networks offering reliable and attractively packed services, it added.