A recent conversation with a Sprint/Clearwire friend, and confirmed 4GWE (http://www.4gwe.com/) speaker, led to a discussion of the role of the wireless device in the 4G network of the future. His take on this was fairly straightforward - service for WiMAX devices will be cheaper and the devices will be based on open access to the full use of the Internet for communication and entertainment applications. It is the belief of Sprint/Clearwire that these WiMAX devices, with their ability to access high speed mobile broadband applications, will clearly be the winner in consumer and enterprise adoption.
This email I shared with friends yesterday, got some interesting responses. This one from a friend who has been in the Wireless device manufacture space for ages was a great example. It started simple.
Friend:> Dream on baby !
To which I replied.
Santa is coming in 20 days ;<).
Seriously, for a moment given your history, give me your opinion how important is the PAPR issue and is SC-FDMA the way that LTE Advanced wins?
When I look at all those WiMAX dongles connecting to PC's I think the premise for some of the debate is wrong.
What do you see? Are MIDs viable? Can I expect to see no innovation in batteries?
And the push back came in this way.
Friend:> First: What is 4G ? Pls define what you are talking about ! There is no accepted standard for 4G as far as I know.
Friend:> Second: WiMax is a dead end !
Friend:> Follow the mainstream and what is standard in the industry. LTE will take more then 90 % of the market. That's what counts to me and the operators.
I responded this way...
Friend:> First: What is 4G ? Pls define what you are talking about ! There is no accepted standard for 4G as far as I know.
Me:> That's not exactly right the ITU-T considers 4G inclusive of both 3GPP and WiMAX efforts.
Friend:> Second: WiMax is a dead end !
Me:> I am not capable of fighting this discussion but in general the discussion is about mobile WiMAX since many Wireless carriers are going to use Fixed WiMAX as a backhaul strategy. Am I correct on this?
Friend:>> Follow the mainstream and what is standard in the industry. LTE will take more then 90 % of the market. That's what counts to me and the operators.
Me:> I agree, but if that is the future then I will never have the stability I had with the Landline service. The only time I swapped out phones in my house was when they broke. With Cellular it was every time my contract expired.
I am looking for different models than this. I pay 100 USD for my home service and 500 USD for my "family plan". I personally want to see alternative models.
----
The problem for me with these statements is that I am still licking my ATM wounds from the birth of the commercial Internet. So while I see the LTE Advanced momentum in the market, I remember the same sense of confidence in the wireline carrier.
The Internet on wireless devices so far has not been that amazing. Imho, we are in love with our mobility, not the access we receive.
I believe that the network is going to be a compromise between the end user, the application and the networks that have to support them be they personal, professional or provider based.
And that is why the show is called evolution. Because its going to be in that compromise we find and adapt the network.
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