Understanding WiMAX and 3G for Portable/Mobile Broadband Wireless

New and increasingly advanced data services are driving up wireless traffic, which is being further boosted by growth in voice applications in advanced market segments as the migration from fixed to mobile voice continues. Meanwhile, difficult market conditions have caused a number of operators to delay making substantial investments in upgrading their networks to higher capacity technology. In today’s commercially challenging climate, all capital investments must be well justified. This is already putting pressure on some networks and may be leading to difficulties in maintaining acceptable levels of service to subscribers. This white paper focuses on the major technical comparisons between WiMAX/OFDMA (IEEE 802.16e) and 3G/WCDMA/HSDPA for mobile/portable broadband data services; this paper also describes where each technology best serves operators’ needs for networks capable of delivering high speed portable and mobile data services in a cost efficient manner.