Till now the integration of Web2.0, VoIP and broadcasting has been very limited- these have operated as virtually independent networks. The trend towards a unified offering is getting accelerated as the core networks begin to move to all IP and be reorganized as next generation networks (NGN).WiMAX networks present an important facet of making this transition. It is now becoming increasingly clear that the next generation networks will not be focused towards wireline devices, as previously envisaged. Wireless devices and applications including transmission of multimedia content in various forms will be an important requirements of these networks. It also help take broadcasting wireless. The networks ( both fixed and mobile WiMAX) provide features to guarantee QoS even in wireless environments, a feature which has been missing in the WiFi or streaming mobile TV. They can provide for high user densities with mobile broadcasting and multicasting services (MBS) and high data rates with special techniques of advanced antenna systems and beamforming. They can provide spectral densities close to 4 bits/Hz and in urban and rural environments can be used to provide data rates ranging from 16 Mbps to over 75 Mbps.
WiMAX networks are now providing an element for the seamless extension of broadband wireless or mobile Web 2.0 services to marry the traditional broadcast and on-demand media which has been missing so far. This element is the quality of service and service flows per application, which is a basic feature of WiMAX networks. WiMAX networks provide city wide roaming and high data rates to support media and internet applications, each with guaranteed QoS. However QoS can only be achieved if the end to end configurations support the same. It is lost if the media under transmission traverses unprotected internet without parameters to guarantee the QoS. It requires a planned integration of the IP networks with the WiMAX including the mobile stations or client devices. How do we achieve it? How do we integrate cellular systems and WiFi hot spots which are already interoperable with each other in many mobile networks? How do we integrate IPTV and DSL systems to provide a complete network with WiMAX as access medium?
WiMAX as a new technology will be very disruptive to traditional broadcast or mobile web applications and therefore the need for its early recognition and using it to advantage. It can shift business models, technologies and processes. There can be no excuse for not using it to advantage. The spectrum allotted for mobile WiMAX has just begun to fall in place in most countries and WiMAX forum certified Mobile WiMAX devices are beginning to roll off the assembly lines. The adoption by the ITU of ODDMA-TDD as one of the air interfaces for IMT-2000 can only help to accelerate the process.
