Is WiMAX a mobile technology?
Yes. The standard for Mobile WiMAX or IEEE 802.16e was finalized late
in 2005.
Increasingly, it appears that the 802.16e mobile WiMAX standard is the version
that the majority of operators are moving towards. While it is premature
to say that the 802.16d version is likely to wither away, most vendors, even
those busily shipping Fixed WiMAX radios, have upgrade procedures in place for
customers to switch.
The 802.16e Mobile WiMAX standard can competently support fixed broadband
applications as well as mobile. The jury is a bit out as to how well that
can be done on a homogenous mobile/fixed needs network as the types of customers
served are a bit different. In general, customers utilizing a Fixed WiMAX
service are more often businesses with much higher bandwidth and IP-based
service needs. Clearly, hybrid networks may make a lot more sense in the
short run for many service providers. The most recent feedback from
carriers is that they feel truly mobile capability even for most business
customers has enormous marketing power and expectations are that mobility will
predominate. Clearly for US carriers, which largely means Clearwire,
mobile applications are the future.
