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Even as the hype around WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) continues, the technology is set to make its presence felt in India in a big way. With 2007 declared as the "Year of Broadband", the focus is once again on last mile connectivity to make broadband a household commodity. One way to go about is wireless technologies and WiMax leads the way.

So far, cellular technologies have not delivered broadband data connectivity to households due to both cost and complexity. WiMax promises to accomplish the task throughout India without major disruption to transportation and other services.

However for its widespread effect to be visible, service providers are demanding appropriate spectrum and lower the cost of WiMax equipment.

Flavors of WiMax
WiMax systems come in two varieties-802.16d and 802.16e. The compliant products of the first version of the specification (802.16d), works in point-to-point fashion, is already making their way from vendor laboratories to customer sites. The second version of the standard, 802.16e, works in a point-to-multipoint fashion. While the standard is fairly stable, there are still a few issues involved with items, such as roaming, and smooth hand offs between networks and base stations, yet to be resolved.

Spectrum Granted
In a move that will help rollout of WiMax services in the country, just last month (Feb 2007), the government delicensed 50 MHz of spectrum in the 5.8 GHz band for commercial use. This decision comes at the right time when ISPs and technologists like Intel are looking for WiMax to take off in India.

WiMax forum has identified three frequency bands-5.8 GHz, 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz-to deploy systems using WiMAX standard. Of these three frequencies, the world over, only the 5.8 GHz is a license-exempt band, and therefore the DoT's move to delicense this frequency puts India in line with global standards. DoT has already initiated moves to get spectrum vacated for WiMax services in both the 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz frequencies.

WiMax Scenerio
As of now the cost of customer premises equipment is very high and this may deter the service providers from offering competitive rates compared to wire line alternatives. However, vendors are hopeful that government may introduce subsidies to encourage the momentum. In its first phase of deployment WiMax will be limited to a select few with deep pockets or to those with no viable alternatives.

Beginning this year, C-Dot Alcatel-Lucent Research Center (CARC) in Chennai successfully completed the country's first live WiMax IEEE 802.16e-2005 (also called Rev-e) field trial using Aircel's licensed spectrum, confirming this technology is ready for commercial deployment.

Aircel is India's first, and globally one among five operators, to launch wireless Internet services through WiMax technology. The company intends to extend its pan-city coverage in a phased manner to include nearly 26 cities in future.

BSNL has plans to cover 74,000 villages via WiMax and 20,000 more villages will be covered on the ADSL. WiMax installation will provide broadband access to customers within a radius of 25 km.

On the equipment side, Adaptex, Airspan Networks, Alvarion, Aperto Networks, Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Gigabeam, Intel, Nokia and Proxim are some of the vendors that have been building WiMax products.

On the Anvil
The IEEE 802.16 standard body members are working toward incremental evolution, from fixed operation to portability and mobility. IEEE 802.16f and IEEE 802.16g task groups are addressing the management interfaces for fixed and mobile operation.

Clients will be able to hand-off between 802.16 base stations, enabling users to roam between service areas. All of these improvements will help make WiMax an even better Internet access solution.

For all this to materialize India must ensure enough computers for the rural sector, and policy regulations are market friendly. We can expect larger deployments in first half of 2007 itself, now with more spectrum released.

Government led initiatives with strong technology partners like Intel, Motorola and Alcatel will trigger successful applications on the anvil. Large local market will also help local technology-product companies to prosper.

As the broadband experience widens its ambit in India wireless technologies like WiMax are digging in footholds as key growth drivers.

Malovika Rao
malovikar@cybermedia.co.in