Grab your laptop, mobile phone, pda, music player, camera, come to think of it any device will be connected. WIMAX is coming in 2005/06 and it will change the way we all view the Internet and communications.
What is WIMAX.
WIMAX is a wireless broadband standard that is up to 75 times faster than current broadband (DSL, ADSL)and gives you and your staff an Internet connection up to 45 miles from your office, with any device that connects to the Internet with data speeds up to 75 megabytes a second. WIMAX is the new 802.16 standard (doesn’t WIMAX sound so much better)
Why will it work?
Intel and Nokia and a host of other companies are going to build the connection bridges on their computer chips so anyone who buys a device in late 2005, early 2006 will be WIMAX ready. The fact that it will cost less than AU $1000.00 to set up your own base station that can securely share data access to 100s – even 1000s of users.No more wires and no more Telstra.
Why is it so damn cool?
Unlike Wi Fi (which you may see at Airports, Coffee Shops) WIMAX signals can pass through clouds, trees and walls so you do not need direct line of site to the base station. Small communities can set up their own base station and offer it throughout their community (sell it maybe) so country towns will finally get in on the Internet revolution. It is also based on non proprietary standards so anyone can get into it (unlike 3G).
Who will suffer from WIMAX?
Think of companies like Hutchison (the 3 company) who paid millions and millions of dollars for the 3G spectrum, imagine how they feel to have an open standard to compete against. Imagine spending billions of dollars on equipment only to see Mrs Smith down the road becoming a competitor (don’t you just love it). SO all Telco’s will feel the heat with WIMAX, they will probably have to offer a mix of 3G and WIMAX just to survive.
Why is this so good for Agents?
Agents are road warriors! Their best work is performed out of the office and on the road. WIMAX will give them the ability to source critical information from any location, so they can spend more time out of the office and with vendors/buyers, where they make money, not sitting behind a desk waiting for the phone to ring. So whether it will be sending information (images, VR tours, files) directly to the server or accessing documents they will always be connected!
WIMAX bring it on!