WiMax has taken a step towards commercial implementation with the certification of the first complete solution based on the technology, but SA has yet another hurdle to clear.
Until recently, international WiMax implementations have been held up by a lack of equipment certified as complying with technology and interoperability standards set by the WiMax Forum, which sees product certification as being critical to the ubiquitous deployment of WiMax.
Four WiMax equipment makers received certification for their base station products last month and after further certification announcements, Canada`s Redline Communications emerged as the first vendor to have a complete solution with the certification of its Intel-based customer premises equipment.
The latest certification announcements mean countries like Mozambique and Kenya are now able to go ahead with implementations of WiMax standards-based technology to deliver high-speed Internet over a wireless connection, but SA will have to wait.
Local telcos will be unable to introduce commercial WiMax services until the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has made official WiMax spectrum allocations, says Arnoud de Nooy, CEO of Rapid Cloud Technology, a local Redline equipment distributor.
De Nooy says the delay is frustrating because it is still a guessing game as to what the telcos will be able to do based on the spectrum they are allocated. ICASA says it is still in the process of determining how licences will be issued for the 3.5GHz frequency spectrum band that has been reserved for fixed wireless access usage.
ICASA says the number and size of permanent licence frequency allocations to be made in the 3.5GHz band is still to be determined, yet Telkom and Sentech have already been awarded permanent licences. Six testing licences are the only other licences to be awarded so far.
The allocation of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band will also determine how aggressively the second national operator (SNO) will be able to roll-out WiMax because availability of spectrum is directly related to coverage and services capacity.
WiMax is believed to be an important element of the SNO`s strategy of going to market, with some industry analysts saying that providing a wireless infrastructure is the best chance the SNO will have of winning market share. However, ICASA says the SNO has yet to make an application for access to the 3.5GHz frequency spectrum band.
According to ICASA, the best way of making use of the 3.5GHz spectrum is yet to be determined and no time frame has been set for finalising spectrum allocation in this band.
Related stories:
SNO could bring WiMax
WiMax held up by certification
Aperto Networks earns WiMax Forum Certification
WiMax product certification: what it means for resellers
Share