Wireless Broadband Basics

Wireless broadband is a general term used for technology that can access the Internet wirelessly and at high bandwidth speeds. Wireless broadband is available on virtually any digital device, as long as it has the right connectivity hardware. Such hardware can be easily connected to most PDAs and laptops.

One of the most popular and well-known wireless technology standards is Wi-Fi. [http://glossary.teleclick.ca/wi-fi.php] (Wireless Fidelity), which allows users to access the Internet through a wireless local area network. However, Wi-Fi speed and range are severely limited. There is another wireless connectivity standard, called WiMAX [http://glossary.teleclick.ca/wimax.php]which is considerably more advanced.

WiMAX is a protocol by which signals are sent to wireless broadband users. In theory, a WiMAX base station can transmit a signal up to 50 km (31 miles) away, meaning a single station could potentially cover an entire city (unlike Wi-Fi, which is only available in ” access points”).

Although WiMAX networks are available in several major US metropolitan areas, base stations are very expensive to build and are not cost effective in less densely populated areas. Due to this limitation, WiMAX technology is not yet available in most non-urban regions.

Although WiMAX has been a great technological achievement, wireless broadband certainly doesn’t stop there. There are a number of other cutting-edge wireless protocols currently in development. The most notable of these is a new protocol called xMax, which is similar to WiMAX, but much more efficient. You can cover a wider range at a lower cost by taking advantage of radio frequencies. Although xMax is not yet available to the public, it will most likely be released in the next two years.