Achieving Wireless Broadband with WiMax

When users want broadband Internet service, they're generally restricted to a T1, DSL, or cable-modem-based connection. However, these wireline infrastructures can be considerably more expensive and time consuming to deploy than a wireless one. In addition, rural areas and developing countries frequently lack optical fiber or copper-wire infrastructures for broadband services, and providers are unwilling to install the necessary equipment for regions with little profit potential. Many residents thus must do without broadband service. Wireless approaches could address this problem. Therefore, proponents are advocating WiMax (worldwide interoperability for microwave access), a technology based on an evolving standard for point-to-multipoint wireless networking. Carriers can use WiMax to provide wireless Internet service via transceivers to users' antennas. In addition to IEEE 802.16, WiMax addresses the European Telecommunications Standards Institute's (ETSI) similar high-performance radio metropolitan area network (HiperMAN) broadband standard.