7  Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access

• WiMAX operates in a similar manner to WiFi, but provides a higher data rate over a much wider coverage area to more customers.
• The WiMAX standard (802.16) provides data rates up to 70 Mbps, and operates over a range of frequency bands from 2 to 6 GHz.
• WiMAX uses a network of towers, similar to those used for cellular telephones, which provide a broadband connection to customers within 50km. The towers themselves provide point-to-point wireless connectivity to the service provider’s premises, where it is routed to the Internet. WiMAX is thus able to provide coverage to rural areas beyond the range of DSL and cable broadband services.

Figure 9  

• WiMAX, as shown above, can provide both point-to-point links between towers and full mobile cellular type access to subscribers, and is likely to supersede municipal WiFi as the preferred wireless broadband technology. WiMAX customers connect to the service using a variety of WiMAX capable devices, such as home routers, or mobile devices with integrated WiMAX technology.