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A Brief Introduction to WiMAX:

WiMAX is a technology that has many useful applications in the real world. It is wireless in nature, and therefore very flexible. It can potentially be used in a variety of ways, such as; broadband internet access, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as a substitute for the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN), Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) as a replacement for cable and satellite television, or even as a mobile telephone service. All these applications are well within the broad spectrum of WiMAX (What is WiMax?, 2007).
WiMAX works in a simple way. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) transmits the signal to a WiMAX transmitter. This transmitter then sends the signal along the air to another tower, which can further transmit the signal. Eventually the signal is picked up by a WiMAX receiver and an internet connection is established and maintained. This is done through a licensed radio frequency spectrum. The diagram below on the left helps to illustrate this (Grabianowski & Brain, 2007).

(Grabianowski & Brain, 2007) (What is WiMax?, 2007)
This signal, when sent point to point with a direct line of sight (LOS) can transmit data of speeds up to 72Mbps over a distance of 30 miles. This is an extremely high data rate for such a long distance. Point to point means that the signal is sent from one site directly to another site without having any other receivers pick up the signal. Point to multipoint is when a signal is broadcast concentrically around a transmitter to be picked up by all WiMAX receivers in the area. With this signal a data rate of 40Mbps with a radius of six miles from the antennae is possible. This is for a non-line of sight (NLOS) signal. The diagram on the above right can help illustrate this (What is WiMax?, 2007).
Where WiMAX is used Today:

In India, which is one of the fastest growing telecommunications markets in the world, a company called Aircel Business Solutions has committed as much as $100 million to build a WiMAX network. This network would be located in Chennai, which is in the southern portion of India, and is also where Aircel is based. This is looked as a beginning step forward to integrating WiMAX completely into India. 14 percent of India’s 600,000 villages do not even have one phone. With WiMAX technology information transfer could easily become accessible to these people (Kowalke, 2006).
In Korea the government is heavily pushing wireless broadband access. To this end they have been aiding the technology called WiBro. This is essentially the same as WiMAX but developed by the Koreans. They are actually ahead of the United States in deployment of wireless broadband technology. The government has set aside frequency spectrums for wireless broadband and vendor companies such as LG Electronics and Samsung Ltd have already begun building WiBro systems (Korzeniowski, 2005).
The Chinese have developed a plan to have 150 base stations made available covering over 90 percent of Beijing’s commercial and residential areas. While it is not clear whether or not this system will be ready for public use or not, the infrastructure will be there and available for future use. While China is moving slower than is fellow Asian country Korea, WiMAX is still in development and part of the Chinese’s future (Sun, 2007).

Recent Developments in WiMAX:

One of the biggest developments in recent wireless technology history is the adoption of WiMAX into the IMT-2000 standard. The IMT-2000 standard is regulated by the International Telecommunication Union. These standards are in place to regulate 3G, or the 3rd generation wireless networks. To have WiMAX included within these strict standards is a step forward for the technology. This significantly escalates the opportunity for worldwide deployment. This is the first time a new interface has been added to IMT-2000 in almost a decade (WiMAX Forum Newsroom, 2007).
In July of 2007 an advancement was made in WiMAX that caught everyone’s attention. Sprint and Clearwire, a leading WiMAX developer, had inked a deal to build a nationwide wireless WiMAX network. Sprint was going to produce 65 percent of the network with Clearwire being responsible for the remaining 35 percent. Nearly four months after this deal had been done, it was undone. As much as this was a step forward initially, it is almost as much as a step backward now. While Sprint still insists on creating this network, they now have to find a different vendor company, create a new deal, and create new infrastructure plans before they can continue with the project. While this only delays WiMAX and it’s eventually deployment, it will still take more time. This infrastructure was estimated at being able to reach over 100 million Americans (Cox, 2007).
The Future of WiMAX:

Intel, one of the leaders in technology, is fully backing WiMAX technology. Intel is planning to eventually mass produce highly integrated silicon solutions. By the end of this year, 2007, Intel will have add-in cards available for purchase and use. By then end of 2008 fully integrated Wi-Fi/WiMAX modules will be developed. These modules are code named “Echo Peak” currently. This integration would provide convenient broadband connectivity anywhere it is need. The home, office, and on the go people could all be serviced (WiMAX Broadband Wireless Technology, 2007).
Eventually a system known as a Global Area Network, or GAN, could potentially become available. This GAN would supply data and voice communication anywhere on Earth. WiMAX is a serious step in the direction of creating a completely global system of information transfer. With the data rates possible at a 30 mile distance a global infrastructure is less a thing of the far future, and more of an immediate concern (BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network), 2007).