WiMax Technology in Mobile Devices
LaStephen Maxwell
University of North Texas
Spring 2018
CECS 5400.080
Abstract
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, or WiMax is a premier technology tool that is developed to enable high speed internet access for wireless communications. This technology can be found in numerous mobile devices. It is a tool that boasts many advantages that allow it to compete with WiFi, cellular services and many other networks. Mobile devices are common telecommunication vehicles and are essential for people to communicate in modern society. The internet is an important component to mobile devices, and a quicker more effective internet connection will do wonders for society. WiMax is a candidate for the next generation of mobile networks. It can play a significant role in technology that widens the range of networks in order to support mobility. This article provides a deeper look into how WiMax operates and how it plasy a role in bridging the digital divide amongst mobile device users and non-mobile device users. This paper will also explore how WiMax can support students and teachers within an educational setting. Lastly, it will also touch on how this specific technology can develop to become the tool of tomorrow in reference to how mobile devices will be used.
Introduction
Telecommunication systems come in forms like radio broadcasting systems, telephone networks, computer networks, internet and more. Each system boasts specific internal intangibles that allow it to function at a beneficial capacity. As the telecommunication market continues to blossom, so will its hardware that allows the systems to work so effectively. One of those systems are mobile devices. In today’s society mobile devices play a large role in daily use. These devices are popular communication systems that are constantly growing in hardware/software capabilities. Communication technology demands are great. When it comes to transferring data/information, users expect everything to be faster. Researchers and developers are constantly creating products with better productivity. The digital divide amongst people with internet access on their mobile devices has become narrow over the past few years. More and more people are utilizing the internet on their personal devices.
Mobile devices require their own technology and network to function properly. Technologies such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and 3G, 4G and LTE are very common technology tools that allow for mobile devices to work on an efficient broadband network to utilize internet on the go. WiMax (worldwide interoperability for microwave access) is a technology that allows for a competitive high-speed wireless communication that works on internet on mobile devices. WiMax is said to be there future of mobile device networks, and seeks to close the digital divide (Yarali, A., Mbula, B., & Tumula, A., 2007).
How WiMax Technology Works
Before understanding how effective WiMax can be used, one must understand what WiMax truly is. “Wireless mobile services grew from 11 million subscribers in 1990 to more than 2 billion subscribers in 2005” (Andrews, J. G., Ghosh, A., & Muhamed, R. 2007). Studies continue to show that mobile technology is on the incline. There is a demand for high speed internet access on mobile devices. This very demand for faster internet speeds is a key reason for rapid wireless evolution. WiMax is a product of wireless evolution. WiMax’s technology is made for long range wireless networking. It began as a tool focused on developing better solutions an alternative to DSL or cable networks. Originally the technology was limited in its capabilities. The technology has been upgraded tremendously and now serves a stronger purpose in mobile devices. By no means is WiMax here to serve as a replacement for technologies like Wifi or 3G/4G. However, this technology has shown an ability to be a cost-effective option that hits high speed internet in more covered areas than what other options can do (Etemad, K. 2008).
What separates WiMax from other wireless options is how it can allow data to move over numerous frequency ranges. Thus, avoiding the use of frequencies that have a tendency to interfere with wireless applications. Hence slowdowns and bad connections to internet on mobile devices. Article writer Steven Vaughan-Nichols states, “Unlike Wi-Fi, mobile WiMax delivers quality of service. It assigns each participating device its own access slot, which can expand or shrink depending on network usage. Wi-Fi doesn't use this approach and its access points can be overwhelmed by excessive requests. Like the proposed IEEE 802.11n version of Wi-Fi, mobile WiMax works with multiple-input, multiple-output technology. MIMO uses multiple antennas as transmitters and receivers to reduce errors and improve data rates by better capturing the signals that scatter during a typical transmission. And like 802.11n, mobile WiMax uses scalable ODFM, which increases bandwidth by splitting a data-bearing radio signal into smaller signal sets, modulating each onto different subcarriers spaced orthogonally to minimize interference, and assigning subsets of subcarriers to individual base stations” (Vaughan-Nichols, S. J.,2008). WiMax is a unique type of technology that can be implemented in mobile devices to increase the speed and efficiency of internet depended applications. Mobile devices could become even more accessible across the world as people buy into this technology. Through proper connections a single WiMax tower can cover up to 3,000 square miles. This square mileage also includes rural areas, thus removing the common “dead zone”.
WiMax’s WiFi options uses a lower frequency ranges anywhere between 2 GHz to 11 GHz much like standard WiFi. These lower frequency ranges do not get interrupted as often as other networks, which allows for better wireless connections. The WiMax technology is budding as a necessary element in bettering our global telecommunication systems, especially in internet and mobile devices. Writer C. Ravichandiran says, “WiMax deployments have shown great resilience, adaptability and promise to be a cost-effective broadband technology for realizing metro-scale wireless networks. That is, whereas Wi-Fi could cover small enterprises, offices, hospitals, etc., WiMax is capable of accomplishing always-on, reliable, high-capacity and high-speed wireless connectivity for larger campuses, towns, cities and even full metros” (Ravichandiran, C. 2009).
WiMax Pros and Cons
WiMax is a technology tool on the rise. It has extraordinary benefits when it comes to mobile devices. However, it does have several limitations that could be linked to why it isn’t as popular to the likes of WiFi, 3G/4G or LTE. In the online article, What Does WiMax for the Internet Mean? Bradley Mitchell provides readers a closer inside of his personal take of how WiMax can be seen as a benefit and a letdown. He finds believes that WiMax is popular because it has low cost and has flexible nature. The technology can be installed faster than other internet technologies because uses shorter towers and less cabling. WiMax works outside of fixed connectors and serves equally as strong when someone subscribes to a WiMax service for their mobile device. WiMax also provides voice and video-transferring capabilities as well as telephone access, thus strengthening lines of communication on the go. WiMax transmitters can span over several miles with data rates reaching up to 30-40 megabits per second. The largest pro for WiMax is its ability to connect to rural areas where wired or wireless internet is impossible or too costly to install Mitchell, B. 2018).
Mitchell later goes on to acknowledge that the cons of WiMax can be found in its wireless component. The further the WiMax network connection is away from the original tower cell the slower the connection becomes. Although this is a commonality even within WiFi, it is something that WiMax is striving to correct in its system. A user might pull down a large number of mbps in one location, however, once they move away from the cell site that mbps can reduce that speed to almost nothing. WiMax also loses its high-speed connection when multiple people are using the radio sector at the same time. Wi-Fi is much more popular than WiMax, so more devices have Wi-Fi capabilities built in than they do with WiMax. However, most WiMax applications include built-in hardware that allows a household to use the service via Wi-Fi, much like how a wireless router provides internet for multiple devices (Mitchell, B. 2018). With every piece of technology, one can find pros and cons. The true testament of the specific technology is in question will be how the cons are being worked through in order to ensure a solid product. WiMax has been on the market since the 1990s. It is apparent this is an evolving product, so if this continues to work out the kinks it could rightfully be the technology of tomorrow.
WiMax In Education
Technology is extremely essential in today’s educational system. Computers, tablets and mobile phones are key modern-day tools that assist with academics. Education technology strives to open up opportunities for the student to work with technology at school or at home. WiMax has the ability to support education in a more effective way by granting students’ the ability to study at home or at school using a faster connected internet no matter where the student is (Ohrtman, F. 2007). WiMax has the ability to created special access networks similar to VPN or cloud features. Access networks working under a faster internet connection would work wonders for students and teachers in an educational field. WiMax’s wireless capabilities and cost effectiveness allows for a large scale of internet-based content that can be controlled and monitored by administration. It will also allow more students an opportunity to learn from a distance on a secured high-speed network. Connectiveness is important in education, and WiMax can assist with that better than WiFi can. Ohrtman states, “WiMax is not Wi-Fi. There are many initiatives to bring Wi-Fi to communities across America. Wi-Fi is inferior to WiMax in terms of range and speed, as well as quality of service and security (Ohrtman, F. 2007).” Although WiFi is the common technology tool used to access internet across a large area, it possibly does not serve the educational field as well as WiMax could.
Conclusion
As research continues, there is still so much to learn and develop with WiMax. It’s a technology tool with plenty of upside that can provide high internet speeds on many different devices. Although there are some challenges the technology faces, it has proven that it can serve as a respectable replacement for WiFi or 3G/4G someday. The buy in hasn’t been that great with WiMax, but it can be assumed that consumers are unaware of what the technology and its benefits. WiMax is an advanced communication system that seeks out to enhance connections. WiMax does provide a viable solution to closing the digital divide. It offers numerous services on one network. It also provides the merging of fixed and mobile networks.
WiMax provides high speed access to subscribers at competitive and reasonably low costs. Its strengths can be found in its ability to address the requirements of modem telecommunications networks and the commitment that has been shown to its development and wide acceptance by a number of leading equipment vendors and service providers (Yarali, A., Mbula, B., & Tumula, A. 2007). WiMax development is created to support a large amount of mobile applications. I believe there will be many collaborative opportunities that companies can partake with WiMax, especially mobile companies. Mobile services providers should study this software more and creatively find ways to implement it into their product to get these most of the mobile capabilities. A wider range of wireless technology could be a ground-breaking service to society. With continual development and time, one can only assume that WiMax is the technology of the future that will enhance internet speed, range and functionality.
References
Andrews, J. G., Ghosh, A., & Muhamed, R. (2007). Fundamentals of WiMAX: Understanding broadband wireless networking. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Etemad, K. (2008, October 10). Overview of mobile WiMAX technology and evolution – IEEE Journals & Magazine. Retrieved May 4, 2018, from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4644117/#full-text-section
Mitchell, B. (2018, February 22). Have You Heard About WiMAX Broadband? Retrieved May 4, 2018, from https://www.lifewire.com/wimax-wireless-networking-81832
Ohrtman, F. (2007). WiMAX in Education. WMX Systems. Retrieved May 10, 2018, from https://www.ntia.doc.gov/legacy/broadbandgrants/comments/6422.pdf.
Ravichandiran, C. (2009). An Incisive SWOT Analysis of Wi-Fi, Wireless Mesh, WiMAX and Mobile WiMAX Technologies. 2009 International Conference on Education Technology and Computer. doi:10.1109/icetc.2009.47
Vaughan-Nichols, S. J. (2008). Mobile WiMAX: The next wireless battle ground. computer, 41(6).
Yang, Y. (2009, October 02). Relay technologies for WiMax and LTE-advanced mobile systems – IEEE Journals & Magazine. Retrieved May 7, 2018, from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5273815/
Yarali, A., Mbula, B., & Tumula, A. (2007, March). WiMAX: A key to bridging the digital divide. In SoutheastCon, 2007. Proceedings. IEEE (pp. 159-164). IEEE.