Hi,
I'm an EE undergrad student and hoping to do my final year project on Wimax system design. In my opinion, Wimax offers higher datarates and better standardization than WCDMA. On the other hand, 3G being the earlier entrant to the market has already captured the U.S, Japanese and European markets. But Pakistan is seeing 2 simultaneous countrywide deployments of Wimax networks that might be operational soon.
Could anyone comment on whether Wimax will be able to beat and replace 3G in the U.S. and Europe or not?

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Umair Iqbal
Student - BE Electronics Engineering

It a €10M question. WiMAX might simply become a means for longer range network access alongside 802.11n or it may in fact challange the 3G mobile, but whats to say we don't end up with a fudge with 3G remaining dominant in voice and WiMAX as an extension to the 802.11n WiFi networks.

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Diarmuid O'Briain
CEng, FIET

Edited: 27 March 2007 at 04:04 PM by dobriain

thanks dobriain for your reply. You pointed out another possibility of coexistence of both technologies simultaneously instead of survival of any ONE of them. This gives me the green signal to continue my work on Wimax because Wimax is here to survive and thrive, whether as a high speed mobile network technology or as a technology for MANs or WANs.

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Umair Iqbal
Student - BE Electronics Engineering

Remember that 3G can use WIMAX as a transmission backbone back to the Core Network. Another example of the co-existance of technologies.

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Eur Ing John Colquhoun CEng MIET
Si Je Puis
Clarior Hinc Honos
Operations Manager - Telecommunications (Scotland) <img src="/forums/forum/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">

thanks jcolquhoun,
But don't you think someone using Wimax as backbone for 3G would rather go for a complete Wimax installation. Or do you think there are some factors that make the combination of a foreground 3G and a background Wimax an optimum solution?
Please comment

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Umair Iqbal
Student - BE Electronics Engineering

Hello Umair,

WiMAX can't reasonably compete with 3G - today there is faaaar more 3G coverage than WiMAX. I have worked with both technologies and see a niche for WiMAX in emerging markets as a means of deploying high speed data & VoIP in areas where there is no buried copper. But it will never replace or significantly displace 3G.

Chris Sroka MIET
Sydney Australia

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your input. It was good to see some engineer talking to me about an engineering subject after quite some time. I've actually switched my career to become a Finance professional and after graduating as an Electronics Engineer I'm now doing my MBA. A big change, I know, but I still try to keep in touch with technology news.

You're right about Wimax being a product for emerging markets where copper isn't yet laid in most areas, and now in 2009 there are two Wimax companies operating in Pakistan (Wateen Telecom and Wi-Tribe) struggling to make money in a market where they are unable to compete with conventional broadband. Though the CEO of Wateen Telecom, whom I met at a research conference in late 2005, was optimistic about making Wateen profitable despite huge capital investments, the company doesn't appear to be doing very well.

Anyway it's long since I'm out of touch with the happenings in telecom world, I can't be 100% sure of the analysis I just did. I'll have to see Wateen's financial statements (and will get back to you with more details if you're interested in knowing more about Pakistani telecom market ).

Muhammad Umair Iqbal
BE Electronics 2008
MBA 2011
Lahore, Pakistan

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Umair Iqbal
Student - BE Electronics Engineering