Sprint's WiMAX Is Here, But Where Are The Devices?

XOHM WiMAX service in Baltimore

But Sprint in some ways is putting the chicken before the egg, launching a citywide 4G wireless service that devices have yet to catch up to.

WiMAX's major hindrance is that it's been slow to reach the masses. With the service now kicking off, it's expected that a host of device manufacturers will begin creating WiMAX devices to support the standard.

According to a February 2008 report from research firm Maravedis, WiMAX subscribers will exceed 100 million by 2014 with the WiMAX equipment market reaching $42 billion by that year. Maravedis also predicted that by 2012 roughly 25 million WiMAX devices will be shipped, a far cry from the billions of Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

"WiMAX chipsets will start to be embedded in laptops in the second half of 2008, into handheld devices in 2009, and into consumer electronics by early 2010," said Adlane Fellah, president and CEO of Maravedis, in the report. "This is definitely a key assumption, as large-scale WiMAX deployments by companies such as BSNL and Sprint start to materialize in 2008 [and] 2009 despite current challenges."

So as providers continue to get their WiMAX networks off the ground, the device market will be slow to catch up. Vendors are scrambling to release multiband and multiprotocol devices, mobile Internet devices, ultramobile PCs and navigation devices that embed WiMAX.

Still, the WiMAX Forum said in March that it expects to certify 100 WiMAX-based products throughout 2008. As of August only 25 products had been certified.

The WiMAX.com blog indicates that during the first eight months of 2008, 14 different vendors certified mobile WiMAX products. According to the WiMAX Forum, 10 certified products are base stations that establish an operator's network coverage and 13 are devices like radio modules, desktop modems, PC cards and USB adapters. A number of other certifications have also been granted for reference designs that other equipment vendors will use to speed up product development.

"All hope is not lost for the industry group to rally and certify more products in the next three months than it has over the last three years," wrote Jeff Orr of strategy and consulting firm ORR Technology.

Among the vendors certifying WiMAX products are Airspan Networks, Alvarion, Beceem Communications, GCT Semiconductor, Intel, Motorola, NEC, POSDATA, Runcom Technologies, Samsung Electronics, Sequans Communications, Telsima, ZTE and ZyXel.

The most notable WiMAX devices currently available include the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, a tablet that can support both WiMAX and Wi-Fi. Many others will likely follow in Nokia's footsteps, creating portable WiMAX data devices.

Others jumping on the WiMAX bandwagon include air card and USB device makers. Sprint's XOHM WiMAX network offers packages that include air cards from Samsung Express for $59.99. Airspan Networks also offers a WiMAX USB device. The external devices can essentially turn existing PCs that aren't WiMAX ready into mobile data powerhouses.