IDC backs cellular over WiMAX for wireless broadband

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 31 July 2007 02:29

IT Industry - Deals

WiMAX services are not expected to experience an upswing until the turn of the decade when greater certainty in the standard and commercial deployments using WiMAX equipment will occur. IDC recommends that mobility broadband service providers, whatever technology they are using, should "increasingly attack the greater broadband market with highly competitive pricing aligned with business and consumer expectations....[and] should consider a heightened state of market aggressiveness against fixed-line broadband and upcoming municipal WiFi services if they hope to outplay their competitors."

IDC recommends that services providers using cellular technology "leverage their current leadership in the Australian market by competing directly against fixed-line broadband offerings whilst bundling data plans on top of a business/consumer user's mobile handset for greater traction."

Yau told iTWire: "in the study we have urged mobile operators to be cut-throat and lower mobile broadband pricing models to be comparable to fixed line, but these prices have to be sustainable."

However he added that the high prices Telstra is charging for data services on its Next G network showed that people would pay a premium for ubiquitous coverage.

Other players are advised to "balance aggressiveness with sustainable business models to be a long term player in the broadband market and not shy away from emphasising that WiMAX [technologies] are also a smart bet."

•    "Huge rise" in HDPA devices reported
The latest HSDPA devices survey by the Global Mobile Suppliers Association [GSA] shows, according to GSA, "a huge rise in the number of user devices now available for the rapidly expanding mobile broadband services market enabled by HSPA (High Speed Packet Access)."

The GSA found that 311 HSDPA-capable devices are now available, more than six times the number reported in a similar GSA survey one year ago). The number of suppliers has increased from 16 to 71 in the same period.