Despite 559 networks deployed in 147 countries around the world, as per WiMAX Forum’s (News - Alert) tracking, WiMAX developers are concerned about 4G LTE services taking the lead. With increasing number of operators worldwide showing interest in LTE or planning to launch the service in a year or two, WiMAX supports, including Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE (News - Alert)), are readying a faster version called WiMAX 2, officially known as IEEE 802.16m.

Based on the IEEE 802.16m air interface standard, this next phase of WiMAX technology, which builds upon earlier standard 802.16e, delivers higher system capacity with peak rates of more than 300 Mbps, lower latency and increased VoIP capacity. Thus, meeting the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) requirements for 4G or IMT-Advanced.

Although, 802.16m will give WiMAX a major speed boost, don't expect it to propagate any further than the current WiMAX technology that covers around 31 square miles per access point, says WiMAX Forum vice president Mohammad Shakouri.

According to the WiMAX Forum (www.wimaxforum.org), WiMAX 2 or IEEE 802.16m standard will be finalized by IEEE in November and certifying devices based on the standard will take place through-out 2011. As a result, the Forum expects ISPs to start deploying the standard commercially throughout 2012, when U.S. carriers such as AT&T (News - Alert) and T-Mobile will begin to offer  4G LTE services all across the country.

To accelerate the interoperability of WiMAX 2 based devices based on the 802.16m standard, it is being driven by the WiMAX 2 Collaboration Initiative (WCI) comprising WiMAX silicon suppliers, equipment makers and research organizations.

Well known vendors listed in this WCI initiative include Alvarion, Beceem, GCT Semiconductor, Intel, Motorola, Samsung, Sequans, XRONet (News - Alert) and ZTE as well as the Taiwanese research organization, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).  To accelerate the implementation of interoperable system profiles for WiMAX 2 equipment and devices, all the companies have been working closely with the WiMAX Forum, according to WCI.

To test multiple coexistence scenarios between LTE and WiMAX radio technologies, Clearwire Corp., a leading provider of wireless broadband services and operator of the largest 4G network in the country, announced plans to conduct 4G LTE technology trials. The operator intends to achieve speeds ranging from 20 to 70 Mbps.

As reported in Computerworld, both WiMAX and LTE services are entering the market at a time when Cisco (News - Alert) projects that mobile Internet traffic will double every year between now and 2013. By 2013, Cisco foresees an Internet traffic of  2.2 million Terabytes per month. In addition, the company Cisco also predicts that this surge in traffic will be driven by video.