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Wi-Max is great in theory,
but it’s not quite ready

SO what's all the fuss about Wi-Max? Is it the final solution to comprehensive Internet access for the masses? Will it supplant current cell phone technologies? Will it be the final solu-tion for that mystical con- verged network that we've been talking about for years, but never seem to be able to implement?

Unfortunately, we don't know the answer to any of these questions yet. But we do know a few things about Wi-Max.

Wi-Max is a wireless technology that provides high bandwidth over long distances. Theoretically, Wi-Max can transmit up to 70 megabits per second (mbps), within a 30-mile radius. Contrast this with the existing Wi-Fi technology which can transmit up to 54 mbps, but only within a radius of a few miles.

If you need to extend Wi-Fi more than a few hundred feet, you will probably have to string together a series of expensive antenna that can all "see" each other. This is known as "line-of-sight." Line-of-sight is pretty self-explanatory and basically means that nothing can obstruct the path between two antennas. Absolutely nothing. Not buildings, not trees, not birds. Wi-Max, on the other hand, does not require line of sight.

So what's it good for? Certainly, high-speed point-to-point connections for that troublesome "last mile" come to mind. This can help you get to remote locations that may not be served by phone or cable companies.

ONE OF THE MOST intriguing uses of Wi-Max is to provide ubiquitous Internet access to metropolitan areas such as Honolulu. It's not just limited to Internet access either. Theoretically, voice and video could be transmitted over Wi-Max just as easily as data. TV, radio, telephone, and Internet communications could all run over the same technology.

So what's the problem with Wi-Max? Although its proponents like to say it's standards-based (802.16e, for those who care), it is still in its maturing stages. In tech speak, this means that things you implement now may not be the best solution a year from now. For example, I remember implementing Wi-Fi networks that ran at 3mbps when that technology was first introduced. A few months later, the 3mbps standard was supplanted by the 11mbps standard, which has now been replaced with the 54mbps standard. At the time, we thought the 3mbps wireless gear was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Until, of course, the faster gear came out.

Yuka Nagashima, president of local ISP Lavanet, tends to agree. According to her, while it is a promising technology, it is not quite ready for prime time yet. Affordability is still a major concern. As a result, Yuka "doesn't see it being commercially viable for a while, or still in the 'hypey' stage."

Most industry analysts concur. The best guess for Wi-Max making it to the big leagues is at least a year away and perhaps further out. For long range planning, however, it's definitely a technology to keep an eye on.

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