The inability by Telkom to supply ADSL lines in time or ever at all has been fingered by many players as the weakest link in the diffusion of broadband services within both metropolitan areas and the hinterland.

What is WiMax ?

I like the simplicity of the Wiktionary definition which states that WiMax ("Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access") is "a telecommunications technology providing wireless data, voice and video over long distances." Though similar to WiFI in how it works, WiMAX offers ultra-fast speeds over greater distances and for a greater number of users.

A rough estimate recently put the number of diginet or leased line subscribers in South Africa at 16,000.

WIMax can best be described as "a wireless digital communications system, also known as IEEE 802.16, that is intended for wireless "metropolitan area networks".   WiMAX can provide broadband wireless access (BWA) up to 30 miles (50 km) for fixed stations, and 3 - 10 miles (5 - 15 km) for mobile stations. 

For many years the only viable way to connect your branches to head office was to use expensive ,wired, point-to-point connections such as Telkom's diginet leased lines. Then ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)  finally arrived in South Africa and companies decided to cut costs and use Virtual Private Network's over broadband ADSL connections to connect branches to head office.

Channel bonding now allows businesses to channel multiple ADSL lines with other access technologies like diginet/leased lines and wireless connections, such as WiMax and 3g/hsdpa into a single large pipe for Internet access. The first generation of channel bonding only allowed for the bonding of similar broadband technologies but now it is possible to bond heterogenous WAN/Internet access technologies!

WiMax is described in one whitepaper as having done to internet connectivity what mobile phones did to the telephone industry. The hype around broadband on the go should neither be under-estimated or taken for granted. The way we work, play or relax has been changed and the good news is that we have been freed from the bondage of network cables.

Wimax and Metronet are two, relatively new wireless options, that provide Corporates that need highly available, guaranteed uptime and throughput Internet conenction,s with multiple options for a redundant link.

WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a wireless broadband technology that is now hitting the South African market in a big way. WiMax is squarely aimed at current users of ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)  and diginet leased line technology . So what are the benefits of WiMax when compared to ADSL?

WiMax Benefits

WiMax benefits include: