The WiMax Forum has postponed the launch of its first certification for products supporting wireless broadband. This will now be announced in mid-January at a workshop in California, USA.
Although the delay is not too long, it has become a topic of controversy, increasing skepticism about the potential of the technology. With Wi-Fi networks becoming widespread in many areas and 3G mobile communication systems available in the US, Asia, and Europe, some observers believe it may be too late for another emerging technology to gain a foothold.
According to Mo Shakouri, Deputy Director of the WiMax Forum, one reason for the delay is that the testing process for WiMax products is divided into two phases: coverage levels and the interoperability of a product with devices from various suppliers. Shakouri also acknowledged that high expectations and complications have somewhat dampened the organization’s efforts.
Product certification is a crucial step in ensuring interoperability between devices from different manufacturers. Moreover, it allows all WiMax investors to remain unbound to any particular manufacturer. The delay in standardization will create a revenue gap for manufacturers. “The major issue with a new technology is determining when the final version will be tested in a real-world environment,” stated Abner Germanow, an analyst from IDC.
The first certification expected next month is primarily for fixed WiMax products operating under the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard and is not applicable while in motion. The mobile standard IEEE 802.16e, which was approved nearly a month ago, will only appear after 2007.
The WiMax Forum will issue certifications for at least three types of products utilizing the 3.5 GHz frequency spectrum at the Wireless Communications Association (WCA) international trade show from January 17 to 20 in the USA. These may include products using TDD (time-division duplexing), one of the two basic technical methods in WiMax equipment. FDD (frequency-division duplexing) products, which offer enhanced features such as voice quality service, will receive certification in a second round in mid-2006.
