Non-WiMaxes Start To Get Some Respect
It’s not particularly new to point out that technologies like Flash-OFDM from Flarion and UMTS-TDD from IPWireless both exist now, are mobile and offer some advantages over a still-in-process WiMax standard. While many in the press seem to have been sucked in by the belief that all wireless broadband is WiMax or that WiMax will definitely succeed — some are recognizing that there are still challenges. Nancy Gohring, writing for Wireless Week points to Europe where both Flash-OFDM and UMTS-TDD are getting some attention. In the article, she talks about how both offer mobility — something that won’t be seen in any WiMax offering for quite some time. However, she also follows up the story by noting a response from an unnamed “major” mobile operator who says they actually prefer UMTS-TDD for fixed wireless as well — mainly because it’s here now and it works. Again, as we’ve said in the past, WiMax clearly has a place for backhaul. Also, it may be interesting to see how things evolve down the road, but it’s still troublesome to see so many declare WiMax as a winner in a market where it doesn’t even exist, and others do.
