WiMAX, that much-hyped, longer-range, Intel-centric, version of Wi-Fi is having its parade rained on, by an article in the current issue of The Economist entitled “The prospects for WiMax technology have been hugely overhyped“.
Many, if not most, people believe that WiMAX, which implements broadband wireless networks based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, will be a huge success due to its 70Mb/sec speed and its 30 mile range.
The Economist, however, seems to believe that WiMAX is mostly hyperbole. They dismiss the technology with words such as:-
In urban areas WiMax does not make sense, since it will be uneconomic compared with cable and DSL, argues Kenneth Furer, an analyst at IDC. It’s not going into New York, Los Angeles or London, he says. It is also too expensive for use in the developing world, at least for the time being, since early WiMax access devices (which must be fixed to the outside of a building) will cost around $500; other forms of wireless link, such as mobile-phone networks, will remain a cheaper way to connect up remote villages.
I guess that means that WiMAX is pretty much a sure thing. Hmm, wonder how INTC shares are doing…
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I guess the pessimistic forecasts for WiMax were borne out. Economics is as important to technology as the technology itself.
I wonder how many great products we’ve lost simply because they didn’t sell well fast enough.