I thought it would be interesting to readers to take a look at WiMAX expansion in 2007 through the eyes of a well established supplier of WiMAX infrastructure – Adaptix Inc., headquartered in Dallas with offices in Seattle and Shanghai.

ADAPTIX offers the first orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) (based on IEEE 802.16e and WiBro standards) pure IP, mobile broadband wireless system to deliver true broadband speeds on a fully converged software-defined radio (SDR) platform. The company provides software-defined, hardware-enabled infrastructure platforms for wireless and wireline service providers around the world.

To support the demand for high-bandwidth, media-enabled wide-area wireless service, Adaptix is rolling out SDR base stations that enable the rapid low-cost establishment of micro-cell WiMAX networks. These base stations support advanced feature sets including MIMO and adaptive antenna arrays.

With a wealth of experience, expertise and IP in OFDMA technology, and WiMAX and WiBro customers worldwide, Adaptix is particularly suited to deliver a solid appraisal of market growth through 2007. So, I decided to consult with them on this issue. Here is what they had to say:

“There’s no question that 2007 is going to be a pivotal year for our industry, with Mobile WiMAX leading the way – recognized as the endgame for WiMAX, “ said ADAPTIX vice president, marketing and product management Byron Young. “This year, you’ll see the vendors with real credibility achieving Wave 1 and Wave 2 certifications, while participating in large carrier trials and initial deployments. You’ll also see a shift toward smaller, more compact base stations as carriers look for a scalable, cost-efficient way to deliver high-performance mobile broadband services.”

Here is what they said to look for in 2007:

- Look for 802.16e products (not WiBro) becoming real in 1H07.

- WiMAX Forum Plugfests will emerge as a real accelerator for industry readiness, creating a perception that “if you weren't at the Plugfest, you aren't for real.”

- We’ll see WiMAX Forum Certification for mobile WiMAX products starting in 2007. This will drive carrier confidence and higher deployment. ADAPTIX, like all credible vendors, will be certifying for both Wave 1 and Wave 2 in 2007.

- There will be a trend toward smaller, higher-performance base stations of the microcell class. Macro BTS products are dinosaurs. Expect to see AP-like 802.16j multihop relay stations out by end of next year. ADAPTIX says it has been the industry leader with this trend with the BX-3000, fiber-based "virtual base station" design, minimizing RF loss and interference caused by long copper cable runs. Carriers will be looking for base stations that combine high performance with cost efficiency.

- Advanced antenna functionality (MIMO, beamforming) will start to appear mid-year.

- IPR ownership will be a key factor in being a credible vendor with industry staying power. The field is becoming a case of IPR “haves” and “have nots.” The continued focus will be on quality, not quantity. Priority date of invention will be a key factor in this regard.

There is no doubt that mobile WiMAX is becoming real with significant milestones planned for 2007. Innovation and carefully planned deployments that use low-cost micro-cells and smart antenna technology will be strong enablers for rapid growth, able service and competitive pricing.

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