WiMAX (News - Alert) is a powerful technology that users throughout the world rely on to drive innovation and streamline processes. In order to gain such benefits, however, the technology must be robust and must work according to expectations. As a result, there is a high demand for WiMAX testing.Infonetics Research (News - Alert), a market research firm, recently released excerpts from WiMAX Services Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey. This research is part of the company’s Continuous Research Service (CRS) series of WiMAX-related analyst notes and surveys.

“Some of the strategic findings in this report are surprising: in particular, the fact that two-thirds of the service providers we surveyed intend to use WiMAX for mobility-based services by 2012, or that over 90 percent expect to offer VoIP over WiMAX by then,” noted Richard Webb, directing analyst for WiMAX, microwave, and mobile devices at Infonetics Research. “This indicates a richer service environment for WiMAX in the future, but at the same time, our survey showed that key challenges remain; specifically, the limited range of WiMAX-enabled mobile devices, and the difficulty of building low-ARPU pricing models for developing countries. The WiMAX industry is up against the clock to address these challenges if it is to fulfill its undoubted potential as a long-term broadband technology.”

In this survey, findings in WiMAX testing reveal that fixed and nomadic basic broadband services are dominating the market, although service providers do plan to diversify their services by 2012. In addition, there is continued demand for a broadband access “wireless DSL” solution in regions throughout the world. In developed countries, portions of the geography are still under-served and offer a great opportunity for WiMAX testing.

By 2012, 64 percent of service providers intend to offer full mobility, which is an increase from 24 percent in Infonetics’ previous survey. Full mobility is expected to be smartphone oriented by combining data mobility and voice. USB dongles, however, are expected to be the device of choice. Among commercial challenges service providers face, the availability of WiMAX-enabled mobile devices remains at the top of the list. Other commercial challenges include marketing and positioning WiMAX services, building retail and distribution channels, providing service level agreements for enterprise customers and defining a pricing model for a low-ARPU market.

This survey was created to provide an understanding of how and why WiMAX networks are deployed, the rationale behind services being offered, the business model, target markets, and subscriber and revenue numbers projected between now and 2012. As WiMAX testing continues, successful processes will likely drive implementations.