Overview

There are many definitions and understandings of what is wireless broadband technology. There are those professionals that claim 3G is wireless broadband and other claim that something called 4G is wireless broadband. The criteria for wireless broadband technology can be generalized in the form of the services. The end user ultimately decides with their money what they consider to be acceptable for their use. Wireless broadband services can be generalized to mean those services that support a variety of multimedia content at varying data rates from low speed (less than T1) to as high as optical data rates. Yes this is a very general description but if nearly 60 years (combined) in this business has taught these authors anything is that nothing is static and that flexibility in views is important.

This publication represents the most comprehensive research available that evaluates the market place, business drivers, and competition between the four major broadband wireless technologies. Part one covers WiMAX, part two WiFi, part three LTE, and the final section covers 4G.

About the Authors.

Wireless Broadband Services.

1. What is a Broadband Service?.

2. What Kinds of Networks Support Broadband Services?.

3. Why Wi-Fi, WiMAX, LTE, and 4G?.

4. Network Value Chain.

4a. Network Value Chain: The Wired Network.

4b. Network Value Chain: The Wireless Network.

4c. Network Value Chain: The Handset

5. Our Focus.

“The WiMAX Industry”.

(Part One of Four)

1. Introduction.

2. The Vendors Perspective - WiMax.

2a. Vendor Profiles.

2b. Specialized Vendors.

i. Alvarion..

ii. Redline Communications.

iii. Proxim Wireless Corporation..

iv. Airspan..

v. Aperto Networks.

3. The Cisco and Intel Connection.

3a. Cisco:

3b. Intel

4. The Sprint WiMAX Model

4a. Key Features and Functions.

4b. Sprint - Soft Launches.

5. Why Did Sprint Choose WiMAX?.

6. The Clearwire WiMax Model - Before Sprint

7. The Clearwire WiMax Model - After Sprint

8. Possible Clearwire WiMAX Strategy Without Sprint

9. The Google Factor/The Intel Factor

10. The Korean, SK Telecom, Samsung WiMax Model

10a. Key Features and Functions.

10b. WiBRO..

10c. Deployment Plans.

11. Huawei and ZTE- China’s WiMax Model

11a. Key Features and Functions.

11b. Deployment Plans.

12. Test & Certification - WiMAX Products.

12a. WiMAX Forum™...

12b. Telecordia and Sprint Laboratories.

13. Standards Impact - WiMAX..

13a. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

13b. International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

14. Costs Impact - WiMAX..

14a. Terminal Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)

14b. WiMAX Infrastructure.

15. Market Analysis.

15a. Estimated Subscriber Growth 2007-2012.

15b. US Internet Market Value Forecast 2006-2010.

15c. Handset Sales Comparison.

15d. Ecosystems.

Technical References.

“The Wi-Fi Industry”.

(Part Two of Four)

1. Introduction.

2. Wi-Fi Suffers a Setback - EarthLink and AT&T Mobility.

2a. Running the Numbers - EarthLink.

2b. EarthLink - Update February 2008.

3. The Vendor’s Perspectives.

3a. Global Outlook - Economic.

4. Vendor Profiles.

4a. Vendor Profiles.

i. Xirrus.

a. Xirrus Demo - Interop October 2007.

b. Xirrus Deployment - Amelia Island Plantation..

c. Xirrus - 802.11n System Info.

ii. SkyPilot Networks.

a. Skypilot Attributes.

b. Skypilot - Deployments - Bahrain..

iii. Cisco Systems.

a. Cisco Mobility Solutions.

b. Cisco Mobility Solutions - What It Is and The Benefits.

c. Cisco Wireless Solutions.

d. Cisco Outdoor Wireless Solutions - The Focal Point of Cisco’s Efforts

e. Cisco Outdoor Wireless Solutions - The Technology.

f. Cisco Outdoor Wireless Solutions -Deployments - OneCommunity/OneCleveland - THE Digital BRIDGE..

g. Cisco Outdoor Wireless Solutions -Deployments - OneCommunity/OneCleveland - PBS Broadcasts to RTA Communters.

h. Cisco Outdoor Wireless Solutions - The Benefits.

i. Cisco Outdoor Wireless Solutions and Mobility - The Power of the Single Number - Cisco Unified Mobility.

5. Service Provider/Carrier Models.

5a. The Wi-Fi Model - Alverno Information Services.

5b. The Wi-Fi Model - T-Mobile Wi-Fi/Cellular - Ahead of iPhone.

i. Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) - Convergence.

ii. T-Mobile and 3G..

5c. The Wi-Fi Model - AT&T Mobility.

i. AT&T News - January 2008.

5d. The Wi-Fi Model - MetroFi

i. MetroFi Services.

ii. MetroFi Solutions - Digital Inclusion..

iii. MetroFi - Example Network Deployment - Santa Clara.

5e. The Wi-Fi Model - EarthLink.

6. Test & Certification - Wi-Fi Products.

6a. Performance Testing Outlined.

6b. The Wi-Fi Alliance.

i. Wi-Fi Alliance Authorized Certification Laboratories.

1. Allion Test Labs, Inc. (Taiwan)

2. AT4 wireless (Spain)

3. Bureau Veritas - ADT (Taiwan)

4. CETECOM (USA, Germany)

5. SGS Group (Taiwan, Japan, Korea)

6. Telecommunication Metrology Station (TMC) (China)

7. TÜV Rheinland Group (USA, Japan)

8. Wipro Technologies (India)

ii. Wi-Fi Alliance - The Future.

6c. CTIA Test and Certification.

6d. Tolly Group Test and Certification.

7. Standards Impact - Wi-Fi

7a. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

i. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) -Technical Details.

7b. International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

8. Costs Impact - Wi-Fi

a. Terminal Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)

9. Infrastructure - “Steps To A Successful Wireless Broadband Network”.

10. Market Analysis.

a. Market Drivers and Revenue Forecasts.

B. The Pros & Cons “Wi-Fi Profitability”.

11. Technical Reference “Face-Off 4G vs. WiMAX vs. Wi-Fi”.

Long Term Evolution (LTE)

(Part Three of Four)

1. Introduction.

2. What is LTE?.

3. LTE Network Architecture - SAE..

3a. Service Architecture Evolution (SAE) - Node Definitions.

i. GPRS Support Node (GSN):

ii. Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN):

iii. Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN)

3b. System Architecture Evolution (SAE) - Diagram..

3c. GPRS Core Network - The Foundation of SAE..

3d. GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP)

4. LTE Air Interface: E-UTRA..

5. What Carriers are Pursuing LTE..

6. Qualcomm and LTE..

“The 4G Industry”.

(Part Four of Four)

1. Introduction.

2. What is 4G?.

3. Three Approaches of 4G..

3a. 4G Approach #1 - Enhanced 3G or Extended 3G or Open Architecture.

3b. 4G Approach #2 - Long Term Evolution (LTE)

3c. 4G Approach #3 - WiMAX..

3c.i. WiMAX Rumors.

4. 4G Drivers.

5. Wi-Fi - Not a 4G Technology Today.

6. A Potential 4G Technology? Femtocells?.

7. Handsets: 2G, 3G and 4G - The iPhone.

8. Market Analysis - The Future of Broadband Wireless.

8a. Challenges.

8b. Conclusion.

Summary and Conclusion.

Robert D. Crago NCE – Mr. Crago has been in the communications industry for over twenty years as a systems engineer, project manager and consultant to enterprise groups, telecommunications companies and vendors providing effective solutions.  Mr. Crago’s consulting practice provides clients with technology migration, consolidation and transformation planning, implementation and integration processes having a direct effect to the bottom-line.  Mr. Crago’s success has been in providing realistic ROIs to his clients.  Mr. Crago is available for consultation and custom research at Robert@MindCommerce.com