Posted: 29th Jul, 2009 By: MarkJ
Juniper Research has predicted that WiMAX (802.16e) broadband wireless subscribers will approach 50 million globally by 2014, albeit with most of the limited growth occurring in the Far East and China due to the region’s status as an early adopter.
WiMAX Broadband report author, Howard Wilcox, explained:
"WiMAX 16e will have opportunities not just in developing countries but also areas of developed countries where the DSL coverage is weak or non-existent. The key for the industry ecosystem now is to overcome the challenges and ensure trials evolve into commercial services quickly."
Sadly, while WiMAX might take-off in some parts of the world, it is likely to remain somewhat niche in the UK, with most of the country's five main operators looking more towards rival Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology for future 4G Mobile Broadband services.