CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom-Operator reluctance and general market confusion represent significant barriers to the success of WiMAX, according to a new report from Pyramid.
Pyramid believes fixed wireless operators, which have been disappointed by over-hyped technologies in the past, lack enthusiasm for WiMAX and will be cautious in embracing it. “Operators will come to embrace WiMAX, but only after the bugs are gone, and the prices are competitive,” said John Yunker of Pyramid.
Meanwhile, Pyramid believes Intel is overly optimistic about the technology and warns it is not the same as Wi-Fi. Pyramid does believe Intel, along with Alvarion and Aperto Networks, will ultimately succeed in the WiMAX field. Pyramid also speculated that Nextel might embrace the standard by 2005, made possible with its recently acquired spectrum.
WiMAX equipment is expected to be rolled out next year, and chipsets will be embedded in commercially available mobile devices later. By 2008, WiMAX will dominate the fixed wireless market, according to Pyramid.
