This post was written much before WiMax came into commercial deployment.

This post was written much before WiMax came into commercial deployment.

About the point you mentioned WiMAX being "un tested", Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Deployed_WiMAX_networks for the amount of WiMAX networks (being) deployed. Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiBro for WiBro/WiMAX which is deployed in koreas which gives kick-ass 20-50Mbps and good speeds even in subways.

Regarding spectrum WiMAX, I am not sure of the spectrum allocation in India. But, WiMAX does not need entire spectrum from 2-10GHz. Only part of that is necessary.But we dont know what mobile providers are interested in.

And regarding patents... AFAIK CDMA is patented by quallcomm and requires rediculous royalties. I don't mean GSM,WiMAX does not need royalties. What I mean is patents, royalties, IP, Trademark... are too complex...

I think providers in India are too lazy(lazier than US) and want to get most of the wired network they already have before they get into wireless. They are pretty happy digging up roads. They can'nt even provide real Broadband in wired connections. Also they are very busy providing business plans to consumers with ridiculously large charges.

About the point you mentioned WiMAX being "un tested", Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Deployed_WiMAX_networks for the amount of WiMAX networks (being) deployed. Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiBro for WiBro/WiMAX which is deployed in koreas which gives kick-ass 20-50Mbps and good speeds even in subways.

Regarding spectrum WiMAX, I am not sure of the spectrum allocation in India. But, WiMAX does not need entire spectrum from 2-10GHz. Only part of that is necessary.But we dont know what mobile providers are interested in.

And regarding patents... AFAIK CDMA is patented by quallcomm and requires rediculous royalties. I don't mean GSM,WiMAX does not need royalties. What I mean is patents, royalties, IP, Trademark... are too complex...

I think providers in India are too lazy(lazier than US) and want to get most of the wired network they already have before they get into wireless. They are pretty happy digging up roads. They can'nt even provide real Broadband in wired connections. Also they are very busy providing business plans to consumers with ridiculously large charges.

As I mentioned, it is "un tested" technology. Till the time it proves it's merit in the trials, it makes no sense to introduce it for any reason.

Dear Mr Abhishek,

Regards. Your points regarding WiMax in India are valid.But don't you think that it should be done in an experimental basis in India? Telecom BABUS who introduced GSM in India didn't want to introduce CDMA. But later private telecom farms like Reliance, TATA etc brought it to India. When the existing GSM infrastructure faced a challange from the CDMA front, our own BSNL was bound to introduce it.

Intel may be the force behind WiMax, but good technology should be accepted by the people.

Thanks

Bijay

As I mentioned, it is "un tested" technology. Till the time it proves it's merit in the trials, it makes no sense to introduce it for any reason.

Dear Mr Abhishek,

Regards. Your points regarding WiMax in India are valid.But don't you think that it should be done in an experimental basis in India? Telecom BABUS who introduced GSM in India didn't want to introduce CDMA. But later private telecom farms like Reliance, TATA etc brought it to India. When the existing GSM infrastructure faced a challange from the CDMA front, our own BSNL was bound to introduce it.

Intel may be the force behind WiMax, but good technology should be accepted by the people.

Thanks

Bijay

Hmm. Interesting point that you raised here. However, I really doubt it. It would be more with the so called "first mover advantage"; though we have hardly seen any implementation on ground.

Let's assume. Suppose BSNL comes in with a package, what would it be priced at? How do you ensure that people take it up? How do you have two conflicting technologies- Wi Max and Broadband?

It is taken for granted that the people who first invest in a Wi Max based laptop would have to shell out more than those who sign up later. Even assuming that people DO sign up, it would be hard to replicate the so called "success" of WiFi. Accounting for a very small number of user base.

As for the patents are concerned, I didn't get any information on that.

GSM and CDMA was promoted by a consortium of companies. True. But then, we pay a huge amount of royalty too.

There was an interesting article in Business Standard by Ajai Shukla. He talked of "offsets". Suppose we purchase a order from an American Company, we have something from them to be reciprocated in terms of investments in ancillary industries. We have squandered away those advantages historically.

Hence, any further investments would have to be made in Open Standards and perhaps goad the engineering institutes to come up with something. We can't fritter way our advantage, if any.

Satellite can be a BIG advantage, if we invest in those capabilities. Though, I have reason to believe that because of it's cost, it would be a niche investment. Not for regular purposes.

In the end, I really doubt that Intel would be able to pull it off. Doubtful. AMD is sniping up on it's heels, Windows is floundering (which accounts for it's major sales), IBM is gaining on in the Server market and niche players like Freescale (from Motorola) in mobile phones are expanding. Intel is facing the heat in all. WiMaX would have been some kind of a push for them.

What is the competing tech to Wi-Max ?

..is there any of similar specs but by another vendor.

I'm not aware of any.

Which poses an interesting question, why not..patents etc locked up. Won't see it pick up until patents on it expire. Not sure what the duraiton for this is, 5, 7 yrs ?

Thing is the benefit in the US is much less compared with here, unless you are really stuck in the boonies then satellite is another option, that comes with its drawbacks etc.

Then again if you move ahead with this tech in India, you are paying premium prices as there is no competitor at this level. Royalties only apply if you want to repackage Intel's tech to sell as your own.

Things were clearer with GSM & CDMA, you had a consortium of companies backing the tech so the decison to move ahead was easier. It feels almost like a deadlock scenario with Wi-Max.

Can't choose Wi-Max unless more ppl do so, and those same ppl are waiting for others to do the same.

I feel this tech might be still born despite its inherent benefits (assuming it works as they say), unless intel pulls out the stops and makes it easier/cheaper to implement.

Hmm. Interesting point that you raised here. However, I really doubt it. It would be more with the so called "first mover advantage"; though we have hardly seen any implementation on ground.

Let's assume. Suppose BSNL comes in with a package, what would it be priced at? How do you ensure that people take it up? How do you have two conflicting technologies- Wi Max and Broadband?

It is taken for granted that the people who first invest in a Wi Max based laptop would have to shell out more than those who sign up later. Even assuming that people DO sign up, it would be hard to replicate the so called "success" of WiFi. Accounting for a very small number of user base.

As for the patents are concerned, I didn't get any information on that.

GSM and CDMA was promoted by a consortium of companies. True. But then, we pay a huge amount of royalty too.

There was an interesting article in Business Standard by Ajai Shukla. He talked of "offsets". Suppose we purchase a order from an American Company, we have something from them to be reciprocated in terms of investments in ancillary industries. We have squandered away those advantages historically.

Hence, any further investments would have to be made in Open Standards and perhaps goad the engineering institutes to come up with something. We can't fritter way our advantage, if any.

Satellite can be a BIG advantage, if we invest in those capabilities. Though, I have reason to believe that because of it's cost, it would be a niche investment. Not for regular purposes.

In the end, I really doubt that Intel would be able to pull it off. Doubtful. AMD is sniping up on it's heels, Windows is floundering (which accounts for it's major sales), IBM is gaining on in the Server market and niche players like Freescale (from Motorola) in mobile phones are expanding. Intel is facing the heat in all. WiMaX would have been some kind of a push for them.

What is the competing tech to Wi-Max ?

..is there any of similar specs but by another vendor.

I'm not aware of any.

Which poses an interesting question, why not..patents etc locked up. Won't see it pick up until patents on it expire. Not sure what the duraiton for this is, 5, 7 yrs ?

Thing is the benefit in the US is much less compared with here, unless you are really stuck in the boonies then satellite is another option, that comes with its drawbacks etc.

Then again if you move ahead with this tech in India, you are paying premium prices as there is no competitor at this level. Royalties only apply if you want to repackage Intel's tech to sell as your own.

Things were clearer with GSM & CDMA, you had a consortium of companies backing the tech so the decison to move ahead was easier. It feels almost like a deadlock scenario with Wi-Max.

Can't choose Wi-Max unless more ppl do so, and those same ppl are waiting for others to do the same.

I feel this tech might be still born despite its inherent benefits (assuming it works as they say), unless intel pulls out the stops and makes it easier/cheaper to implement.

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=186500851&cid

Got this from Digg. WiMax maybe implemented in US schools. In my opinion, a mistake- the same as "one laptop per kid". Even in US, there is despondency and your average American doesn't listen to RAP. There is more, much more to the rotten fields of California/ Florida.

Just step in the interiors and you'd find something similar to our Bihar. Albeit, much more peaceful with the "American Tag".

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=186500851&cid

Got this from Digg. WiMax maybe implemented in US schools. In my opinion, a mistake- the same as "one laptop per kid". Even in US, there is despondency and your average American doesn't listen to RAP. There is more, much more to the rotten fields of California/ Florida.

Just step in the interiors and you'd find something similar to our Bihar. Albeit, much more peaceful with the "American Tag".

The Intel angle was interesting! I'd have to read up more on the same.

The Intel angle was interesting! I'd have to read up more on the same.