Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and 3G Will Coexist and Compete for Wireless Data Delivery

March 13, 2007

The three main technologies capable of broadcasting wireless data at broadband speeds to consumer devices-Wi-Fi, WiMAX and cellular 3G-are battling it out for market share worldwide. Each technology has its benefits and challenges, but ultimate adoption will vary greatly depending upon in which region of the world they are deployed, according to In-Stat, a high-tech market research firm. In developed regions of the world such as the US and Europe, for example, Wi-Fi has been widely deployed as a hot-spot and wide-area mesh solution by local governments, colleges, and others; while WiMAX is being set up to be both a fixed wireless and mobile access solution that will compete with cellular 3G.

Each technology comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. In-Stat sees the technologies both co-existing and competing.

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

- 3G is commonplace in developed countries and is starting to appear in developing regions.

- The more developed the region, the more important it is for WiMAX to be mobile.

- Other technologies, such as 802.20, have potential to play a role in future, but have a long way to go to achieve that potential.

The research, "3G, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and Others Battle for Wireless Supremacy", covers the market for wireless data broadcasting via 3G, Wi-Fi and WiMAX. It examines the worldwide market for services and deployments for these technologies. It contains forecasts for hotspot deployments, WiMAX subscribers, and Voice over WiMAX through 2011. The research also compares and contrasts the strengths and weaknesses of each technology.