Wireless Standards And The Companies That Love Them
Intel is getting a lot of press this morning for their announcement that they’re going to make WiMAX silicon. Of course, since they’ve been huge supporters of the standard since the very beginning, this isn’t exactly news. It’s really just the latest step in Intel’s efforts to push WiMAX forward. The question still remains, however, how big an impact WiMAX will actually have. While some are skeptical, there are some very good arguments why WiMAX has the potential to change the wireless landscape. With every “3G vs. WiFi” article talking about how future networks like EV-DO will wipe out WiFi, we complain that that plan assumes WiFi remains constant. The real comparison people might want to look at are things like EV-DO against WiMAX/WiFi. While there are plenty of issues that need to be sorted out with WiMAX, and the hype is being laid on too thick, too early, it is worth watching.
