Asia to spur mobile WiMAX growth

Asia will account for more than half of all mobile WiMAX 802.16e subscribers by 2013, predicts a new study from Juniper Research.
The firm expects Asia to support more than 40 million mobile WiMAX subscribers by that date. Juniper said it believes countries like India, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan and Australia will drive growth of mobile WiMAX technology because it is ideally suited for quick deployment in underserved areas.
The report predicts the mobile WiMAX market will generate $23 billion globally by 2013 and reach more than 80 million subscribers. The top mobile WiMAX markets are expected to be the United States, Japan and South Korea.
However, Juniper warns that availability of devices and license awards will be crucial to the success of the technology.
“Mobile WiMAX will be a device-based technology, whether on handsets, laptops, datacards, or other types of consumer device such as media players,” said Howard Wilcox, author of the report. “Any lack of availability will clearly inhibit market take-up.
“Over the next year licenses in countries such as India, Japan and Thailand, as well as in more countries in other regions, will be auctioned,” continued Wilcox. “Timely award of these licenses will accelerate market development.”