contreras

WiMax Empire Poses Continual Threat to the AT&T Network

WiMAX will be deployed before LTE and both use OFDM (which is not used in HSDPA by the way). But there is a big difference between them, and that is the business case. Let's remember that, as soon as it is the real driver of the technology evolution. WiMAX is a new standard, which has good supporters and is being pushed by Sprint-Nextel as 4G (which it is not... yet) to offer broadband nationwide in the U.S. Sprint's WiMAX is 802.16e which is not related to all "WiMAX references" in the world and is not backwards compatible. Its standard has no definition for compatibility with any other technology, not even Wi-Fi handovers are mentioned. And not all the big players support it (Ericsson, who happens to be the biggest infrastructure supplier in the market).

LTE, is supported by 3GPP and all the infrastructure vendors. Its compatibility with GSM, UMTS, HSDPA and HSUPA is defined since the start. It allows use of multiple bandwiths (starting from 1.2MHz) and FDMA and TDMA options, which allows it to be implemented in every piece of frequency that is currently used for 2G or 3G networks, and grow in smooth way. The terminals that will support LTE will have an smooth evolution as the HSDPA terminals did. You actually don't need to build a huge network to start offering it (this might sound good for carriers) and finally, all big players are supporting it (T-Mobile, AT&T, Vodafone, Telefonica, America Movil, etc).

I believe in WiMAX, as a good broadband solution as backbone for rural areas... not as an access solution, as it is not compatible with the current techonologies, not even CDMA which is so well spread in the U.S.

The times when a new technology could just appear and make a business case for itself are gone. If you are not compatible with the current access networks you may not have any future. A business case for a 14B USD investment in a technology which not everyone believes in, and with an LTE solution coming... sounds risky. May work but I would never bet on that. Disclaimer: Telecom Engineer from NSN, ex-Nokia Networks and ex-Motorola

Smart Phone Wars: iPhone vs. Blackberry vs. ...Android?

Got to agree with Samij. Unfortunately, it seems nobody cares about the global numbers. Just consider that Nokia sells 1+ million Smartphones every week. Smartphones with free applications, GPS, HSDPA, DVB-H, MMS (?), GSM in 4 bands, media center functionality... even my phone is currently holding a web page (as a server...)

But I think this kind of analysis is good at some extent, as it works enough for playing with APPL stocks, which is traded in the US.