OYSTER BAY, N.Y.-Wireless broadband services will gain on its wireline counterparts as more and more of these systems roll out worldwide, the limitations of wireline alternatives become more evident and service providers turn to a mix of delivery methods to meet the growing demand for data and data access, according to Allied Business Intelligent Inc.’s new report, “Wireless Broadband.”
“Carriers are now looking at both wireline and wireless broadband alternatives and deciding what is the best access method for each individual set of markets rather than strictly sticking to either a wireline or a wireless approach,” said Larry Swasey, ABI senior vice president of communications research and author of the report.
Multichannel multipoint distribution services will account for more than 6 million subscribers worldwide by year-end 2005, with the United States accounting for more than one-fifth of the market. Europe will be the largest area of MMDS use, the report said.
Local multipoint distribution services will see its subscriber base grow from less than 100,000 this year, to about 2 million by year-end 2005.
Broadband satellite systems also will contribute to the market, with 25 million subscribers predicted worldwide by the end of 2007, with the U.S. holding approximately 50 percent of the subshare.
Due to its generous allotment of spectrum, allowing for larger data loads at higher speeds, the unlicensed 5.8 GHz band is expected to see the majority of the activity, according to the report.
