WiMAX is arguably even more important for the fixed broadband wireless segment than mobile broadband, at least internally to that industry. It seems clear that mobile broadband wireless holds the loftier long term monetary and customer growth potential. However, the fixed wireless segment has been fragmented essentially since its inception. There are no cohesive standards for outdoor metropolitan area networks beyond the adapted Wi-Fi technologies. Wi-Fi as a standard has been accepted in broad strokes by the industry and the public. However, it is not a well conceived citywide technology. This industry has languished due to the inability to foment a cohesive technology strategy. Innovative features were restricted to individual brands with the result that numerous innovations if combined would have greatly improved results for all.

More recently, the municipal wireless mesh network phenomena have taken hold strongly all across the US. This market in particular could benefit greatly from a WiMAX version as it too is solely dependent on Wi-Fi technologies (for the most part) for backhaul and other aspects of service. Being able to field an interoperable WiMax/Wi-Fi compliant solution could greatly reduce the costs for vendors, operators and by extension the public.