The growing use of 4G LTE by a number of the big name US network providers have left many speculating whether WiMAX has already lost out to LTE technology, although the many operators and manufacturers that are using this technology right now makes it unlikely.
With many of the major US network operators including Sprint and Clearwire announcing that there are either interested in or are in the process of rolling other 4G LTE networks many industry experts are already saying that 4G LTE has already gained supremacy over WiMAX technology.
This opinion, however, is overlooking the fact that a huge amount of investment has already been put into WiMAX technology by both 4G network operators and equipment manufacturers alike giving WiMAX a strong foothold in the 4G market.
The popularity of WiMAX, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year has also spread far further than just the US with worldwide rollouts of the technology potentially providing broadband access for as many as 1 billion users.
Over the years since it was first created the cost management, innovation, application and deployment of WiMAX technology has seen a number of significant changes made that have enabled it to gain a strong presence in the 4G marketplace today. In terms of the development of new areas in which to use WiMAX and the creation of products that are compatible with WiMAX technology, all of the main manufacturers around the world are now supporting this 4G technology.
A recent count of worldwide subscribers to WiMAX networks saw 13.5 million users at the end of 2010 and by the end of 2011 this number is expected to rise to 25 million. With forecasts reporting that this number is set to increase to 125 million by 2015 it is clear that WiMAX is growing at an incredible rate.
Source – Going WiMax