Wireless broadband set to eclipse trusty old wired broadband
24th May 2007
A new report showing that wireless broadband is on course to overtake wired broadband as the most used internet access for business in the foreseeable future.
The report by Informa (an organisation who conduct research into business) suggests that wired systems such as ADSL and cable will remain popular with existing customers but the majority of new uptake will come from new technologies like WiMAX, HSDPA and EV-DO.
By 2012 Informa expect 49 per cent of all broadband connections will be through wireless technologies, compared with the current 17 per cent.
WiMAX in particular has grown rapidly since August 2006, especially after Sprint unveiled plans for a $2 billion+ Mobile WiMAX deployment in the States. Informa expects global WiMAX user figures to increase from the current 4.23 million to over 60 million by 2012, with worldwide revenue from the system, expected to increase almost ten-fold over the same period.
Also on the wireless front, it was confirmed this week that Personal Broadband (PB) is to build a mobile broadband network using the ArrayComm’s iBurst technology across Ireland, which will reach speeds of up to 1Mb/s.
iBurst is built by TCI, an Australian telecoms integrator with a UK subsidiary, founded by Jim Connor, now the CEO of PB. iBurst is based on ArrayComm’s IntelliCell smart antenna technology, which uses advanced signal processing to detect a user’s location and direct the antenna to focus the return signal there, rather than broadcast widely. This makes for highly efficient transmission and low power consumption.
The advantage of this is that it can be reused for multiple users; iBurst transmits about 10 times the data GSM can, it also claims to be up to 400 times cheaper than 3G to operate.
The technology can also be used in other areas as a company spokesman mentioned “We’ve run demonstrations using iBurst to send back pictures from CCTV cameras in buses, even streaming the footage to a pursuing police car in real time.”
iBurst technology has been kept under wraps while undergoing trials in Oxford, but is now set to be unleashed across Ireland. Personal Broadband say they understand the difficulties involved in making the project widespread and have no aspiration of becoming a mobile phone network.
Only time will tell if Personal Broadband becomes a success and expands elsewhere.
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3 comments
What does ADSL mean ?
MALCOLM CRAWFORD, 1st June 2007
Hi Malcolm
ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, which is a type of broadband.
In the UK ADSL is the most common type of broadband connection. Nearly all ISPs in the UK offer ADSL, the notable exception being Virgin Media who provide broadband via a fibre optic cable connection.
I hope this answers you question - let us know if there’s anything else you’re confused with!
Harry
Top 10 Broadband
Harry, 4th June 2007
3GCDMA REV. A is faster than 3 flavors of DSL now & REV B. (to be deployed in 2010) is rporting 80Mps D/L speed so who needs DSL?
3GCDMA has those speeds 8-10 miles NLOS from a cell tower. The last mile bottleneck from the telephone companies has been broken !!!
Australia just commited to building WIMAX 2Billion Network yesterday with Nortel. New Zealand arlready is building CDMA REV A EVDO network; the telecom companies have been limiting what is available for too long because they didn’t want their 90 year old copper line technolgy to be usurped. It is time for the change from Wired to Wirelss and the timeis now, RIGHT NOW to do it. .
3GCDMA technology is rapidly stealing people from High Latency Satellite connections and moving them to 3G connections here in the USA.
Qualcomm and Intel seem to be spearheading 3G- 4G - and WIMAX technology. Who wants to bet against those two?
Tony, 22nd June 2007