A tale of two WiMAX operators

by Stuart Corner

Tuesday, 08 April 2008

Page 1 of 2 ! Depending on whether you believe Optus/Elders or communications minister Stephen Conroy Opel's plans to use fixed WiMAX technology to deliver broadband services in regional Australia were/were not viable, but in metro areas its certainly looking good with Clever Communications following BigAir in posting positive cashflow from their fixed WiMAX networks. Both networks operate in class licensed spectrum(ie free spectrum but with no protection from competing users of similar technology).  As iTWire reported earlier this month   BigAir (ASX: BGL) said it expected to report is first positive cashflow quarter to 31 March, and that strengthening cash flows were "a result of organic growth in 'on-net' revenues from ongoing customer acquisition across [our] recently expanded fixed WiMAX wireless networks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane." Now Clever Communications, which operates similar competing networks in the three cities, says it has achieved a positive net operating cash flow for the quarter to 31 March 2008 of $661,000, and a positive net operating cash flow of $223,000 for the year to date period ended 31 March 2008. Clever said its 'on-net' services added for the year to date period had increased by 118 percent over the same period last year. Clever claims to own and operate "Australia's largest business grade fixed wireless broadband network" and while BigAir is very open about its technology - it uses Airspan fixed WiMAX gear - Clever is very cagey about exactly what technology it is using. In the past it has been on record as saying that its and BigAir's technologies were "almost identical" and that it was using "pre-WiMAX technology". However,  in recent times refused to be specific: with amusing consequences. When I reported BigAir last July announcing its choice of Airspan gear   and claiming to be deploying "Australia's first major metropolitan WiMAX networks" I was chastised by Clever: "BigAir...is not the first Australia carrier operating fixed WiMAX services to Sydney and Melbourne...Clever is in both markets and [our] network is the longest established - albeit in Melbourne." I queried this saying I believed that Clever Networks was still using proprietary pre-WiMAX gear, to which the company replied: "What Clever is using for their WiMAX is commercially sensitive at this particular time, and therefore they are unable to disclose details."!CONTINUED << First page <   1 2 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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