South African broadband consumers now have an option through which they can connect their offices to the internet. The WiMax (802.16) represents the latest standard of wireless networking that provides ultrafast high speed internet access to the end user. WiMax was designed to provide (MAN) Metropolitan Area Access, to homes and businesses.

WiMax (MAN) deployments are similar to a WiFi network. First the ISP would have their T3 or higher access. The ISP would then use line of sight antennas (Bridges) to connect to towers that would distribute the non line of sight signal to (MAN) residential/business clients.

What is WiMax and what are its advantages?

WiMax is designed for building a network infrastructure in environments where it is not economically viable, or physically challenging to lay down a wired network. Additionally, the rampant theft of telephone cables in South Africa has made it imperative for clients to connect via WiMax to minimise the downtime. WiMax is also a cheaper and quicker alternative than having to lay wire and given Telkom's notoriety for the slow setting up of infrastructure, WiMax deployments are the anectode . WiMax has the advantage of providing VoIP connectivity and given the current economic recession, this is a cheaper alternative to maintaining inter-branch telephone contact.

Quality of Service

Inbuilt in the WiMax standard is an algorithm that when the tower/base station is nearing capacity then it automatically will transfer the user to another WiMax tower or cell.