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 Wireless
Broadband UK
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Wireless Broadband
is a fairly new technology that provides
high-speed wireless internet and data network
access over a wide area.
The Term Broadband
According to the 802.16-2004 standard, broadband
means 'having instantaneous bandwidth greater than
around 1 MHz and supporting data rates greater
than about 1.5 Mbit/s'. This means that Wireless
Broadband features speeds roughly equivalent to
wired broadband access, such as that of ADSL or a
cable modem.
Technology and Speeds
Many Wireless Broadband services provide average
download speeds of over 100Mbps, and is estimated
to have a range of 50kM (30 miles). Technologies
used include LMDS and MMDS, and one particular
access technology is being standardized by IEEE
802.16, also known as WiMAX.
At first, Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs)
were only found in rural areas not covered by
cable or DSL. These early WISPs would receive a
large connection, such as a T1 or DS3 connection,
and then prodcast signal from a high elevation,
such as at the top of a water tower. To receive
this type of internet, consumers would mount a
small dish to the roof of their home or office and
point it to the transmitter. Line of sight was
usually necessary for this type of technology, but
technologies by Motorola have not adhered to this
general rule.
Mobile Wireless Broadband
Now, Wireless Broadband technologies include new
services from companies such as Verizon, Sprint,
and Cingular, which allow a more mobile version of
this broadband access. Consumers can purchase a
PC-card, laptop-card, or USB equipment to connect
their PC or laptop to the internet via cell-phone
towers. This type of connection would be stable in
any area that could also receive a strong
cell-phone connection.
Licensing
A wireless connection can be either licensed or
unlicensed. In the US, licensed connections use a
private spectrum the user has secured rights to
from the FCC. In other countries, spectrum is
licensed from the country's national radio
communications authority (such as the ACMA in
Australia). Licensing is usually expensive and
often reserved for large companies who wish to
guarantee private access to spectrum for use in
point to point communication. Because of this,
most wireless ISP's use unlicensed spectrum which
is publicly shared and therefore more prone to
interference.
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