Navini Dumps 802.20 Mobile Broadband For 802.16e

Wireless

Whether you buy into the hype fully or not, there’s no denying that the Intel-inspired WiMAX juggernaut is growing. WiMAX is the (as of yet not ratified) IEEE standard called 802.16 which promises fast point-to-point wireless transmissions with aimed antennas. A later version, dubbed 802.16e will add mobility to WiMAX, and allow non-line-of-sight transmissions. Strangely, the IEEE is working on two standards for NLOS, mobile BWA, with the second being 802.20. However, with the massive Intel hype machine in overdrive, it is decreasingly attractive to hang one’s hat on 802.20. Thus Navini, a staunch 802.20 supporter, has jumped ship, and joined the 802.16e parade. Navini has made what we feel is the right bet in this case: that OFDM 802.16e will displace the Sync-CDMA 802.20, largely because of WiMAX momentum. That being the case, we caution the masses not to believe all the hype: WiMAX in the mobile, NLOS form (802.16e) is unlikely to emerge before 2007, meanwhile there are a large number of existing standards, and technologies (UMTS TDD, F-OFDM) which are already on the market, and will be well entrenched by 2007.