With this year's introduction of the first WiMAX system-on-chips (SoCs), the process of moving this standardized technology into full-scale deployment has begun. Systems manufacturers and equipment suppliers are engaged in vital compliance and interoperability testing via plug test events and official labs established by the WiMAX Forum.

To maintain the momentum WiMAX has gathered in 2005, several important events must take place. First, WiMAX-compliant SoCs must move into full production, as they are doing. The compliance program must stay on track with vendors submitting WiMAX-compliant systems to plug test events. Governments and their regulators around the world must ensure the availability of spectrum. It will be the job of WiMAX supporters to encourage and facilitate government endorsements for that spectrum. Finally, trial network deployments, slated for late this year, will be needed to boost industry confidence that WiMAX can deliver robust, high-quality broadband wireless access at costs below the expensive, proprietary services that exist.

WiMAX's objective is interoperability of equipment based on the 802.16d or HiperMAN standards. The WiMAX Forum has chosen to support the 256 OFDM mode exclusively. To ensure worldwide interoperability, the forum will only certify equipment supporting that PHY mode. Certification testing began in July with initial tests at the Certecom site in Malaga, Spain, and at proof-of-concept sessions in Vancouver, Canada. The results have been good and the testing process will continue at a steady pace through the remainder of this year.

The forum is certifying equipment in the 3.3 GHz to 3.8 GHz and 5.7 GHz to 5.8 GHz bands. Along with member companies, it has developed system profiles to address the 5.8 GHz license-exempt band and the 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz licensed bands. The forum is working with service providers and equipment manufacturers to expand the frequency allocation to cover the key spectrum identified as interesting to potential WiMAX service providers.

Governments around the world have begun allocating more spectrum for WiMAX. Japan, for example, has allocated the 4.9 GHz to 5.0 GHz band after 2007, while the 5.47 GHz to 5.725 GHz band is being considered for future use. The former allocation will require a license for base-station deployment and support 5 MHz, 10 MHz and 20 MHz bandwidths. The latter allocation may not require a license and could support 20 MHz bandwidths.

In North America, interest lies in deploying WiMAX in the 4.9 GHz broad-spectrum public safety band. Lower-frequency bands, such as the 800 MHz licensed and 915 MHz ISM unlicensed bands, could also be useful.

WiMAX deployment will begin gradually as the compliance and interoperability process proceeds. Certified systems should begin shipping later this year, with demand growing exponentially on a global basis in 2006 and 2007. Initial deployments are likely to occur in China, India, South Asia, a handful of locations in South America, and selected sites in Europe (Spain and Portugal) and North America (specifically western Canada).

These deployments will likely be non-cellular data-networking applications, led by suppliers marketing proprietary OFDM systems. Service providers in metropolitan areas will use WiMAX in place of DSL and cable modems. Rural service providers in developed and developing countries may need to introduce WiMAX base stations for new customers and provide the customer premise equipment to subscribers directly.

As deployment rolls along, WiMAX and WiFi (802.11) are expected to coexist and become increasingly complementary. Theoretically, WiMAX supports a coverage radius of 30 miles and a data rate of up to 75 Mbps, while WiFi supports a shorter radius and lower data rates.

By leveraging their existing sales channels, WiFi vendors can incorporate WiMAX into their products as a way to backhaul hotspot traffic to the public WAN. But because WiMAX deployment requires the push of service providers, vendors must work with providers for product launch. Pure-play CPE companies will partner with base-station companies that have service provider ties or solicit service providers to evaluate their products.

Over the next few years, 802.16 and 802.11 capabilities will be available in end-user devices ranging from laptops to PDAs. Both will also deliver wireless connectivity directly to the end user — at home, in the office and on the move.

In the midst of deployment, another development is pending; the ratification of the WiMAX mobility specification, 802.16e, which is expected early next year. It is easy to see how mobile WiMAX could converge with 3G cellular, WiFi and other similar broadband wireless technologies to yield multimode, multiband cellular handsets capable of seamless, network-to-network roaming. This may be just one of the benefits of this interoperable broadband wireless access technology.

Keith Horn is the senior vice president of Fujitsu Microelectronics America, www.fujitsu.com.