WiMAX

WiMax networks in the world

Due to the adverse market perspectives for WiMAX (January, 2013), many large operators of BShPD in the world are guided by gradual migration on LTE technology in an unpaired range (TD-LTE). The exception is made by the Japanese operator UQ Communications who uses WiMAX not only for provision of services of wireless access to direct clients, but also for unloading of traffic of cellular transmission networks through network of spot jotas Wi-Fi which are connected to a backbone network using WiMAX. UQ Communications does not plan WiMAX shutdown in the short term, expands a lineup of subscriber devices, including WiMAX-smartphones, plans start of the new devices compatible to WiMAX 2 technology (and actively uses the MVNO model).

Two other largest WiMAX-operators – Clearwire (USA) and Packet One (Malaysia) are strategically aimed at transition to LTE.

Networks in Russia

At the beginning of September, 2011 Roskomnadzor will hold three competitions on right to use of the frequencies of 3.4-3.55 GHz for construction of networks of the fixed wireless Internet access. On September 6, 2011 frequencies in the certain cities of 14 regions (The Kostroma, Vladimir, Moscow, Lipetsk, Arkhangelsk, Pskov, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen, Rostov regions, the Komi Republic, the Nenets, Khanty-Mansi and Yamal-Nenets autonomous areas), and on September 9 — in the cities of eight more regions (The Saratov and Kemerovo regions, the Perm, Stavropol and Krasnoyarsk regions, Bashkiria, the Udmurt Republic and North Ossetia) and also on eight territorial subjects of the federation will be played: Kamchatka, the Magadan region, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Chechnya, Altai Republic and the Republic of Tyva^[1].

MegaFon, TransTeleCom and "O .S .S. telecom" will participate in all three tenders, follows from the message of Roskomnadzor. Neither VimpelCom, nor MTS, nor Rostelecom even submitted applications.

The reason — in the conditions of tenders, the press secretary of VimpelCom Anna Aybasheva explains: they are formulated in such a way that VimpelCom falls into obviously losing position. Follows from conditions of tenders (are published on the website of Roskomnadzor) that preference is given to those applicants who render in the competitive territory any communication services, except wireless Internet access. If the contestant already has frequencies for wireless data transmission — including in the system of the IMT 2000 standards where also the standard of mobile communication of third generation (3G) UMTS enters — from it 30 points are written off at once. VimpelCom, as well as at MTS with MegaFon, since 2007 has all-Russian licenses 3G. And Rostelecom at the beginning of 2010 won frequencies of the range of 2.3-2.4 GHz for construction of networks of wireless Internet access in 39 regions, many of which are crossed with territorial subjects of the federation in which frequencies are played now.

Nevertheless MegaFon decided to participate in the current tenders: in Europe the possibility of implementation in the range of 3.4-3.6 GHz of mobile broadband access and MegaFon as the universal operator is discussed, could construct the wireless "last mile" at these frequencies, the press secretary Yulia Dorokhina explains it.

But "O .S .S. telecom" and TransTeleCom can gain more points. Neither that nor at other company has no licenses for wireless technologies for which they could be fined, and on timelines for delivery of services of a TTK (from the moment of creation in 1997 works in all regions of Russia) exceeds "O .S .S. telecom" (obtained the federal license for an intercity and international telecommunication in 2005).

If TransTeleCom wins frequencies, then uses them for broadband Internet access, having organized the wireless "last mile" on WiMax technology, the representative of the company Tatyana Semyonova says. In a number of the TTK cities already connected corporate clients on WiMax technology, she adds.

The representative of MTS was limited yesterday to what confirmed: the company will not participate in tenders.

How such high speed is reached?

First, band width. In GSM band width 1.5 MHz and she still seeks on smaller. There is such indicator – spectral efficiency. So how many bits can be transferred to hertz. For today the champion on this indicator of WiMAX – it can give 3 bits to 1 hertz. LTE and WiMAX-M, was succeeded to raise up to 15 bits by hertz, thanks to more smart mathematics, other schemes of formation and processing of a signal. On the other hand significantly expanded a band – in LTE to 20 MHz. Transmitters do not interfere with each other they have a special mechanism of a handoff to throw a signal from the station on the station. In other standards the signal from one device sits down on one station, on narrow band and is fixed on it. In LTE and WiMAX one broad band is used at the same time by several devices. And depending on amount of data distribute among themselves traffic. Differences of LTE and WiMAX only at the level of switching as work with geytvey, etc. In terms of radio history it is very related standards.

The institute of electrical and electronic engineers and IEEE electronics in March, 2011 approved standard 802.16m for the next generation of technology of wireless data transmission of WiMAX. According to the new standard, the speed of data acquisition can exceed 300 Mbps. Development of the IEEE 802.16m standard (it is called also by WirelessMAN-Advanced or WiMAX-2) went within four years.

Standard 802.16m supports multithreaded data transmission and can be used for creation femtosotovy (with miniature base stations) and self-organizing networks. Besides, it is backward-compatible with the present WiMAX standard.

The WiMAX technology in its present option (802.16e) is used in a number of the countries of the world, and last year at the CEATEC exhibition the Samsung company showed data transmission according to standard 802.16m with a speed of 330 Mbps, but most mobile operators, already selected LTE technology from quality of the main technology of creation of networks. Only 802.16m and LTE Advanced which, as well as 802.16m, commercially is not applied yet, were officially recognized by the International Telecommunication Union "true" technologies of fourth generation of cellular communication (4G).

WiMAX will remain niche technology

Experts of J'son & Partners Consulting note that the growing needs of end users for "heavy" content (a photo, audio, video, games and so on), promotes that technologies of both wire broadband access, and wireless broadband access develop towards increase in capacity of networks and increase in data transfer rates. Concerning technologies of wireless broadband access, today conditionally carry to fourth generation of communication (4G) LTE and WiMAX. However, main advantage of LTE is that this standard is the following step of development of technology 3G (UMTS/HSPA, HSPA+) while WiMAX is a separate branch of evolution of wireless broadband access.

In a research it is mentioned that having comparable from LTE characteristic, the WiMAX technology was less adapted for mass deployment. Many key vendors contracted investments into WiMAX and were reoriented on LTE. According to different forecasts, by 2015 only about 1% of the market of mobile broadband access in general and up to 13% of a subscriber base 4G in the world will fall to the share of WiMAX.

In particular, with reference to the forecast of Pyramid Research, data according to which, in 2015 in the world from among the subscribers receiving services in 4G networks, only 65 million will be connected on WiMAX technology are provided. For comparison, also by 2015 it is expected that the universal number of the subscribers using TDD LTE technology will be 158 million, and FDD LTE technology - 263 million.

In Russia WiMAX will also remain niche technology. The market share of this technology, according to forecasts of J'son & Partners Consulting, will not exceed 1% of mobile broadband access. Nevertheless, experts note that for WiMAX there is a number of quite certain market niches in the vertical markets (for example, security systems, technology communication on transport, M2M, intelligent networks). Besides, WiMAX can be successfully used for creation of backhaul network as an alternative to the wire, radio and satellite relay systems.

Speaking about perspectives of development of WiMAX technology in Russia and a possibility of migration on LTE, within the research it is mentioned that in case of migration on LTE within the preparing transition to the principle of technology neutrality, the existing and perspective operators WiMAX and wireless broadband access, can influence definitely the arising market 4G in Russia.

In particular, "Enforta (Prestige Internet)", being the largest operator of the fixed wireless broadband access in Russia, can significantly strengthen the positions in a segment of B2B and make the serious competition in this segment to mobile operators.

It is mentioned also that Transtelecom in case of possible purchase of FreshTel WiMAX-operator, has perspectives significantly to expand geography of provision of services of wireless broadband access and to become the significant player in the market.

Are attractive to investments from the point of view of available for them the frequency resource suitable in the long term for development of LTE networks, and a number of the WiMAX operators who do not have for today a significant subscriber base. In addition to FreshTel, it is Soyuz-Telecom, WiTe and some other.

As for a universal situation, the pacing factors constraining WiMAX development are, according to experts of J'son & Partners Consulting, a limited number of subscriber devices, the actual lack of roaming and failure of the largest vendors and mobile operators from investments into this technology for benefit of LTE. In parallel in the world the ecosystem of LTE networks in an unpaired range (TD-LTE) actively extends.

As of the beginning of January, 2013 in the world there were 13 commercial networks TD-LTE. Besides, tens of networks are in a stage of deployment and testing. The essential driver of transition to TD-LTE is the release of the devices supporting both standards – WiMAX and TD-LTE. It will also allow operators to make smooth migration from one technology on another without breaks in service of subscribers.

The main trend in the WiMAX market is now that both vendors, and operators are aimed at creation of hybrid networks WiMAX/LTE which are urged to provide coexistence in the networks of several technologies 4G with merge perspective in LTE Advanced.

According to J’son & Partners Consulting, in general transition to LTE in the majority of the countries, including Russia, most likely, will drag on for several years which will be required to the regulator for providing operators with the appropriate frequency resource and reduction in the corresponding status of the industry legislation.

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