Teach me What Xohm/WiMax means!

Future Benefits of WiMAX for Mobile Computing

How WiMAX Could Change the Landscape of Rugged Portable Computing

Many mainstream media sources and online news resources continue to pooh-pooh the advancement of WiMAX as an “always on” wireless Internet standard. Keep watching and you will see why WiMAX is an exiting alternative to 3G, and why many traditional cable and cellular carriers would like to keep WiMAX at bay.

It is true that WiMAX will require tremendous new efforts in infrastructure, and it is also true that such new technology is exactly the kind of thing a slumping US economy needs to create jobs in the telecom sector. 3G and 4G are poised to battle it out, but there certainly is room for the both the old and the new.

Regardless of what happens in North America and other industrialized western countries, WiMAX will be the path of choice for connectivity in emerging markets that do not have (and do not need) legacy tech and hardwire networks. The promise of mobility and a truly ubiquitous wireless pipeline is also a popular scenario for narrowing the gap between a world menagerie of social classes.

WiMAX versus Wi-Fi

WiMAX is an acronym for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, an Internet protocol wireless technology that merges fixed, portable, and mobile communications. It is considered by many to be the next-generation wireless technology.  WiMAX also supports high data rates and has a very long transmission reach.

“WiMax and Wi-Fi are both Internet protocol-based wireless technologies. And they both provide high-speed wireless access to the Internet. But that is pretty much where the similarities end.

Wi-Fi was designed to provide indoor wireless connectivity over relatively short distances. The technology is mostly used for home networks or to provide Internet connectivity in small public places like a coffee shop or library. Although there have been some attempts to “mesh” the technology and use it outside for citywide deployments. But because of its short range, these deployments require a lot of radios.

Another major differentiator between WiMax and Wi-Fi is that Wi-Fi uses unlicensed spectrum. WiMax uses licensed spectrum, typically in the 2.5MHz range. WiMax is also designed to be a carrier grade technology so there is more reliability and quality of service built into the technology than is typically available with Wi-Fi.” - news.cnet.com

Backed by many of the leaders in the tech world, watch the video of the “Xohm” WiMAX network launch in Baltimore for a peek what might be around the corner for the rest of us.

https://ruggednotebooksblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/future-benefits-of-wimax-for-mobile-computing/