There is a lot of talk about the standards-based technology of WiMax. Many people do not understand what WiMax is or what WiMax is not. Just as the term Wi-Fi has been coined to the indoor wireless LAN market, WiMax is a coined term for a standards-based technology for the outdoor wireless market. WiMax in itself is not encompassing of all outdoor microwave wireless. The WiMax standard is being developed and agreed upon by the wireless industry’s top manufactures and standards boards.
WiMax technology is designed to bring last-mile wireless broadband access as a 4G Mobile Broadband technology and as an alternative to typical DSL and cable infrastructures. WiMax brings a standard to the table; much like Wi-Fi has done for the indoor wireless market, interoperability of different manufactures’ equipment. For a piece of equipment to be considered WiMax Certified (by the WiMax Forum™) it must comply with the 802.16 IEEE standards and be completely interoperable with other manufactures equipment.
WiMax is the middle market of wireless technology that ties together the world of Wi-Fi and traditional microwave links. WiMax does not compete with the Wi-Fi standards, nor does it replace it. WiMax actually complements the 802.11 standards by tying together Wi-Fi networks and provides for seamless backhaul of wireless access systems. WiMax can be used for last-mile broadband connections (point-to-multipoint), provide connectivity for Wi-Fi hot-spots (or hot-zones), cellular backhaul, and other connections needing replacement of DSL, cable, or T-1 connectivity.