The number of global WiMax subscribers will grow to 50 million by 2014 as operators continue wiring up the remote countryside in order to enable the residents there to access Internet, says market research firm Juniper Research.

 

According to the telecom analyst firm, the massive growth will be driven by the need to provide broadband to underserved areas. WiMax is such a technology that it provides easier broadband connectivity in areas where it is challenging to install wired networks.

 

The report notes that Africa and the Middle East is set to exceed Western Europe with over 15 percent of the WiMax subscriber base by 2014. But the real market for WiMax is in Far East and China because they are the early adopters of the technology.

 

Not only that, this region is driven largely by growth of broadband connectivity to underserved and unserved areas, rather than faster connections, says the market research firm.

 

But Europe and, to a lesser extent, North America, are forecast to be driven by DSL churn - broadband provision in underserved areas.

 

The researcher says WiMax 16e has however been faced a number of hurdles which have handicapped network operators resulting in slower subscriber growth than anticipated previously. Nonetheless there are examples of successful service providers in a range of countries from Pakistan to the USA.

 

"WiMAX (News - Alert) 16e will have opportunities not just in developing countries but also in areas of developed countries where the DSL coverage is weak or non-existent. The key for the industry ecosystem now is to overcome the challenges and ensure trials evolve into commercial services quickly" says Howard Wilcox, the author of the report.

 

The report also found that some network operators are targeting specific niches such as high-end business broadband, or cable modem customers in addition to DSL metro and rural applications.