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Wireless Networking Upgrades Hardware

WiMax Delayed for more Testing 86

Posted by CowboyNeal from the getting-it-right dept.
sebFlyte writes "The much talked about potential wireless broadband technology, WiMax, has been hit by more delays that may reduce its chances of commercial success and hence widespread application... so those of you wanted to play Halo 2 multiplayer while driving down the freeway may be in for a bit of a wait." A spokesman for Aperto blames the delays on being "optimistically aggressive" on shipping dates.
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WiMax Delayed for more Testing More

WiMax Delayed for more Testing

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  • wimax multiplayer gaming (Score:5, Funny)

    by rishistar ( 662278 ) on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:05PM (#11425706) Homepage
    I'd much rather be playing Grand Theft Auto 6 while driving down the freeeway.

  • This isn't a great surprise... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by ZiZ ( 564727 ) * on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:05PM (#11425710) Homepage
    The same thing happened with the initial appearance of 802.11b, and then again with 802.11g, and yet they caught on.

    So long as nobody is stupid enough to decide that because they have a WiMax-enabled chipset, they can discard all 802.11(b|g) support...WiMax (or something very similar) will show up when it's good and ready, catch on, and be the Next Big Thing. For a while.

    • WiMax (or something very similar) will show up when it's good and ready, catch on, and be the Next Big Thing.

      I doubt it'll be WiMax...and that has nothing to do with the technology so much as its nearest competitor: cellular data.

      Seems like we're not too far away from ubiquitous 3G implementations for data transfer... and companies like DoCoMo [nttdocomo.com] pushing 4G Research and Development are just around the corner from implementing multi-megabit data transfer. Other techs aren't likely to get the same penetratio
      • Cellular data isn't really a competitor for WiMax. WiMax is great for static links, not mobile, cellular is a daft way of provisioning static links. It's a nice way of building backhaul or metro meshes.

        I see no signs that the cellular operators are going be offering 3G data tariffs that are anything other than usage based, or heavily capped.
        • WiMax is great for static links, not mobile, cellular is a daft way of provisioning static links.

          Just because it would be cellular based, doesn't necessarily mean it would have to be mobile. Why not bring up a site on a 3G/4G connection, and just leave it sitting... much like people do today with other broadband connections?

          I agree that the problem of handling routing would be attrocious in a mobile environment (imagine hosting a webserver from the back of your van... and driving through a metropolitan
      • The cellular companies COULD provide this with 3G but their pricing structure is aimed for premium users. For instance, Cingular currently offers 135K bps GPRS coverage for $79.00 a month... not cheap. They've announced 3G services for "next year" with higher data rates. However, I don't think they will be lowering their prices to the point where the services would be attractive to anyone not on an expense account.

  • Pre-WiMax (Score:3)

    by PopeAlien ( 164869 ) on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:05PM (#11425713) Homepage Journal
    "2005 was thought to be the year of the WiMax launch. Unfortunately, it will now mostly be the year of pre-WiMax," said Vincent Poulbere, a senior consultant at Ovum.

    So its official! 2005 is the year of the pre-WiMax. What a great way to say vaporware!
  • I thought the new WinMX was delayed. Ah, forget it...

  • Halo While Driving? (Score:4, Funny)

    by dhj ( 110274 ) * on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:08PM (#11425750)
    That would SUCK.

    Unless of course you had a HUD screen that turns all the traffic around you into Covenant vehicles and incorporates them into the game!

    THAT would ROCK!

    The only tricky part would be implementing checkpoints that let you go back a few minutes rather than die a bloody death.

    --David
    • Then i'll start taking my chances in farmers markets

      At least until old people get hooked on halo
      • For those who don't get the reference

        http://www.waxy.org/archive/2003/07/16/santa_mo . sh tml

        This site explains how 86-year-old George Russell Weller killed ten people with his automobile at a farmers market in Santa Monica CA. At least one of the dead was a 10 month old baby and three year old was also injured. Mr Weller decided that he was capable of operating a motor vehicle in a safe fashion. He started the automobile and went about his business. Apparently Mr Weller was not able to operate his automob

    • No (Score:2)

      by Have Blue ( 616 )
      Burnout 3 while driving.
    • hmm you develop it, I'll buy it Anyways WiMax is gonna rock unless it gets overly regulated which it will oh well, hopefully my dsl provider will give it to me free or for like another 5 bucks a month or so

  • Crappy marketroid naming (Score:4, Funny)

    by cortana ( 588495 ) <samNO@SPAMrobots.org.uk> on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:22PM (#11425859) Homepage
    They have really fought themselves into a corner with this one. WiMax is, by definition, the maximum amount of Wi that there can be.

    So what will they call the next standard?

  • WiMax to be renamed... (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    ...to WiMax Forever.

  • What is Wimax ? (Score:1, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward

    WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections over long distances. WiMAX can be used for a number of applications, including "last mile" broadband connections, hotspot and cellular backhaul, and high-speed enterprise connectivity for businesses.

    An implementation of the IEEE 802.16 standard, WiMAX provides metropolitan area network connectivity at speeds of up to 75 Mb/sec. WiMAX systems can be used to transmit signal as far as 30 miles. However, on the a

  • Disappointing (Score:3, Insightful)

    by colinramsay ( 603167 ) on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:26PM (#11425898) Homepage
    Anything that delays the deployment of wifi is bad in my books. In the UK we're seeing it proliferate - in transport hubs, trains, cafes. I'd really like to start seeing it used on a city-wide project here.
    • <anal retentive>
      WiFi = IEEE 802.11 family of standards (802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, etc.)

      WiMax = IEEE 802.16 standard

      They're not really the same thing.
      </anal retentive>
  • More of the usual hysteria surrounding WiMAX. Wavesat (.com) claims general availability of their WiMAX chips.

  • Certification (Score:3, Informative)

    by eggboard ( 315140 ) * on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:32PM (#11425967) Homepage
    You can't have WiMax without a plan for certification. WiMax, like Wi-Fi, is a sticker that says, "this device has been tested and passed." A recent plugfest to check out interoperability and other characteristics for pre-WiMax gear was canceled, hence part of the delay.

    Basically, the 802.16 standards on which WiMax will be a strong subset are done, and it's about figuring out what needs to be in final shipping silicon. No two WiMax devices may be identical, either. There will be profiles so that different features may be enabled in different devices.

    And don't expect WiMax mobile to be any time soon, unlike the description that leads into this story -- that's 2006 or 2007, more likely. The first WiMax flavor is fixed point-to-multipoint.

  • What's WiMax for? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by mveloso ( 325617 ) on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:40PM (#11426034)
    If you wanted to start your own VoIP telco, you could:

    * install a big 802.11b mesh network,
    * provision it with a few WiMAX backhauls (two or three),
    * sell 802.11b VoIP phones,
    * profit

    WiMAX is pretty neat, but I'm not sure yet how it differs from other high-bandwidth wireless solutions. It's standard-based and works in the free spectrum, but doesn't 802.16a? Or is 802.16d just the newest version of 802.16a?

  • Oh no! (Score:3, Funny)

    by Turmio ( 29215 ) on Thursday January 20, 2005 @06:41PM (#11426041) Homepage
    I can't bear this! I have to wait before I'll be able to play Halo 2 while shuffling the iPod playlist [apple.com] and watching some great movie on DVD [shopping.com] and, of course, having a critical business conversation [abc.net.au] while driving down the freeway. So unfair!

  • Marketing (Score:2, Insightful)

    by cyberfunk2 ( 656339 )
    "optimistically aggressive" -- You've just gotta love the marketing spin people put on: Well.. it doesnt quite work yet right.

    I suppose thats why the engineers arnt allowed to speak to the press. Of course, then nothing would ever be quite done enough for release, so I guess it's a balance, eh ?
    • "fail to gain marketshare"

      If WiMax fails to gain market share then by implication there is a competing technology. This measn that no WiMax is probably not a big loss for users (we can just use the competing stuff), but ist is a bit of a blow for the people who've put their money into WiMax.

  • I must say that I am slightly annoyed by this. My company has been developing WiFi based high speed solutions (for rural areas) with equipment that you can add WiMax modules to when they come along. We could have received a much cheaper solution if we had focused mainly on WiFi solutions without worrying about integration. I know all about the long run, but we need to build revenue with what we have now just to get the equipment.

    For more information, check out Connectronics [connectronics.com] and Strix Systems [strixsystems.com]
  • "Aperto", in Portuguese, means "strait" - A position of difficulty, perplexity, distress, or need.
    • Actually, it also means a connection between two bodies of water - such as the Strait of Gibraltar, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. That definition makes more sense for a connectivity company.

    • hmm, well... (Score:1, Offtopic)

      by N3wsByt3 ( 758224 )
      Anyway, you make a strong case against circumcision. :-)

      But then again, it can take a very long time for reason to supercede superstition and religious dogmas, as we all know.

      Alas, I would say.

  • There's probably a significant Doppler issue with using WiMax on the move.
  • I have been using wireless broadband from iBurst http://www.iburst.com.au/ [iburst.com.au] for the last few months in Australia. Works great on the train or while driving down the freeway. Only drawback is that the coverage is a bit patchy at the moment.
  • Before WiMax comes out, will there be any faster WiFi speeds released, other than the channel sharing ones out now?
    • In one word or less, no. Any speed enhancements you see in Wi-fi will be proprietary ones from manufacturers. "Wi-fi" and "Wi-max" are based on standards developed by the IEEE, so it wouldn't make sense for them to create two standards that do exactly the same thing. The whole point of developing Wi-max is because Wi-Fi just won't scale enough to be used in a broadband environment. Wi-fi was never intended to be used for anything other than local area networks Sure, Wi-fi has been forced into the role throu
  • Cingular's UMTS network is already live in several cities at 1500k mand mobile; Verizons EVDO network goes live Feb 1 in several cities also ar 1500k and mobile. What does WIMAX bring to the table for consumers thats so great given its not mobile and its pricepoint is still quite high?
    • What does WIMAX bring to the table for consumers thats so great given its not mobile and its pricepoint is still quite high?

      WiMax should bring a lower cost to the existing pre-WiMax gear. You're comparing the cost of the pre-WiMax stuff. The reason why the standard is so important is that it allows for multiple manufactures all producing the same equipment, increased competition hopefully = lower prices. It also means that they can invest more money in production equipment and processes knowing that the t
    • WiMax has much more capacity than 3G. For example, ISPs will use WiMax to offer T1 replacement service (1.5Mbps symmetric guaranteed bandwidth); can the cellular carriers do that?
      • Yes they can, but with that technology it chews through their spectrum and they can only have a limited number of subscribers per base station.
  • You'll be waiting even longer if you want to use WiMax for a connection in a moving car. The WiMax (802.16) standard is for portable broaband access, connections that you can take with you but don't work so well while moving (ref [wi-fiplanet.com]).

    802.16e is looking at adding mobility to WiMax but what you'll really need for access while mobile is 802.20 - (MBWA) [ieee.org] - Mobile Broadband Wireless Access. This standard is specifically for broadband access while moving.
  • I say whatever. If they delay it, it will be a better product, and if it is faster, no one will care that it is delayed if it is a better product. Compare broken and confusing dvd(+-)r market when it started out. People didn't want to adopt because there were/are competing standards. If they want success, they'll make everything work together, and not have any compatibility problems, and keep it to ONE standard. If it takes delays then it takes delays, but there is a current technology standin until th
  • Media reports indicate that certification for WiMAX products may be delayed for six months, but a spokesperson for the WiMAX Forum said the reports are inaccurate.
    Another prime mover of the technology, Intel Corp., also said it was not aware of any such postponements.

    Some media outlets had reported there would be a delay in WiMAX rollouts due to a lack of readiness of the customer premise equipment, as well as the lab and team to do the certification testing.

    WiMAX Forum spokeswoman Kendra Petrone de

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