WiMAX challenges: in-building, interoperability

WiMAX operators will have to weave around many issues they’re sure to run into as they build out their WiMAX networks, but one glaring obstacle stands out among the pack: in-building coverage.
LGC Wireless, which provides in-building coverage solutions for wireless operators, sees mobile WiMAX as a huge opportunity for its business-primarily because of the in-building coverage issues WiMAX operators will need to resolve to keep customers on board.
“You don’t want to drop a data connection; you can’t drop bits on the floor,” said John Spindler, the company’s VP of marketing.
Nadine Manjaro, a senior analyst focusing on wireless infrastructure for ABI Research, believes the challenges facing mobile WiMAX operators will continue to unfold over the coming years.
“With WiMAX, I think some of the challenges they’re going to experience is that the cell radius is going to be smaller than expected,” she said. “WiMAX is limited to, they’re saying one kilometer, but I think it’s less than one kilometer.”
This compared to an average three-kilometer radius enjoyed with CDMA cell coverage and approximately 2.5 kilometers with HSDPA/HSUPA, Manjaro said.
Operators already are looking at in-building solutions such as picocells, femtocells and antenna systems to ensure coverage indoors, but each of those systems will add to the cost of building the network.
Still, Manjaro thinks the greatest challenges will be had in interoperability between multiple vendors. “I think the main issue is going to be interoperability. Interoperability, I think, is going to take some time,” she said.
“For this to be fully functional there needs to be a lot more testing,” she said. “When you test something in the lab it only shows so much until you get it out there in a real atmosphere with real situations. I think the vendors are working and tweaking things as they go along.”