Mobile WiMax, 4G, Mobile Broadband – What Is All About?

It was a surprise to realize that IT personnel is very often confusing terms related to the latest mobile technologies. Recently, an educational Web site has made its own survey involving about 250 subscribers. The survey studied the perceptions of subscribers about networking technologies and namely about broadband mobile network alternatives.

The survey was mainly built around definition of terms such as 'WiMax' and '4G'. It should be mentioned that, in general terms, ½ of the respondents represented enterprise IT personnel and another ½ were involved in service provider companies. The subscribers were from around the world, though the majority were North Americans.

The survey have came out with the following results:

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1. About 25% (of both groups) associated WiMax and 4G terms. They considered them if not the same then at least similar.
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2. When asked to define 'WiMax', most respondents explained it as mobile broadband excluding '4G' term.

The results of the survey raised the question -- What's the difference then?

Refine on Definition – 4G

As you probably noticed, we speak in terms of generation when it is about mobile telephony. So the 4G (4th generation) term refers to the next generation of cellular network (which is at its conceptual stage). Today, 3G cellular network is what we call up-to-date technology and what we actually use. 4G is still on the shelf and will follow 3G, but as we presume only after taking advantage of consumers' pockets.

What is the difference between 3G and 4G? The first one features specific worldwide industry standards, while the 4G doesn't establish any specific technical standards. It operates only with IP protocol and packet-switching technology. Then, they will greatly differ in the amount of provided capabilities. 4G networks are going to support IP multimedia applications and the ability to roam across dissimilar network infrastructures. This will be possible regardless of how they will be constructed.

Refine on Definition – WiMax

Unlike 4G, WiMax represents a set of technical standards for a specific network (not necessarily mobile ones). So, Mobile WiMax is one of the alternatives available for 4G. Technically WiMax is the IEEE's set of 802.16-2005 standards.

Though the 4G and WiMax technologies have a potential joint future, they are not synonymous. Thus, Mobile WiMax can be a standard of 4G networks, but at the same time not all 4G networks will choose Mobile WiMax as their standard. To make it even more clear it should be said that WiMax standard isn't only about cellular networks, it has wider possibilities. While 4G is only about mobile networks.

Worldwide Interoperability More Than Just a Name

WiMax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. The part of the definition that has been long known and still eludes from global mobile networks is the worldwide interoperability. This is particularly because of the fact that in the early 1990s, 3G technology has split off into two camps.

It should be said that with the development of Mobile WiMax standard many of the IT personnel and simply people who have to deal with it are hoping to finally get a single worldwide protocol that works across different carriers' networks and devices.

There are continuous debates over whether WiMax is able to justify its potential. But the truth is that many consumers and providers are tired of the fragmentation that makes them experience different obstacles such as various applications for a specific function.

In spite of the fact that today many are inspired by VoIP application, their interest in WiMax grows even more.

Two main tendencies

The question that greatly concerns users as well as providers is whether Mobile WiMax will be able to replace cellular or not? The answer is a matter of the future, today we can make only presumptions.

The current state of things reveals that there are two tendencies. One is to adopt Mobile WiMax technology and follow the example of Sprint Nextel which intends to cover 100 million people in the US with mobile WiMax services by late 2008.

The other tendency is to support technologies in which cellular carriers have already invested a lot of money (3G licenses and infrastructure). Same Sprint Nextel continues to invest in CDMA-based EV-DO network infrastructure.

WiMax is in trials in countries such as UK, Italy and Japan and the only country to use WiMax for about a year is Korea (WiBro service).

Thus it is quite evident that WiMax is a technology for long term purposes. For now, Mobile WiMax is more likely to be accepted as a complement to cellular services being accessed by users with 3G and Wi-Fi devices.

It is very interesting to know that there are so many ways to make a phone call, but when it comes to some complex functions this creates a lot of confusion. The solution is the broadband mobile connection that handles voice, data, and video and which is to replace tri- and quad-band GSM phones.