WiMax ready for rollout

After much talk, tests and trials, WiMax seems to be finally ready for commercial use in India. WiMax, high-speed internet access over a wireless connection, is a low-cost way to provide internet connectivity in places where laying cables is difficult.

Chennai-based Aircel is planning to take its WiMax network national while the Tata-owned VSNL will roll out retail WiMax offerings later this year. Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) is also ready to start WiMax services, having undertaken pilots at 14 locations.

VSNL as well as BSNL have partnered with Aperto Networks, developer of the world's most advanced WiMax base stations and subscriber units, to deploy multi-service broadband wireless systems.

“Wireless is much more reliable than wireline networks. Many organisations may use a combination of wireline and wireless for offering broadband. By the second half of this year, we hope to start offering WiMax to retail customers," Srinivas Addepalli, corporate strategy head of VSNL, told ET.

“Users are largely enterprises right now,” he said. Last May, VSNL acquired ISP provider Primus Telecommunications which has spectrum for WiMax.

While Motorola as well as Nortel are offering WiMax equipment, Alcatel-Lucent has completed the country's first live WiMax field trial using Aircel's licensed spectrum, confirming that the technology is ready for commercial deployment.

The trials demonstrated applications in moving conditions such as video streaming, high-speed file downloads, voice over IP and web browsing.

“WiMax has the potential to provide India with widespread broadband access, especially in rural areas, thereby ensuring economic growth, better education, health care, and improved entertainment services,” Ravi Sharma, president, Alcatel-Lucent, South Asia said.

However, industry experts feel there is need for reduction in prices of customer premise equipment to fuel large-scale deployment of WiMax. Currently, a CPE costs between $250-300, making WiMax a costly proposition unless economies of scale are achieved. Also, there is lack of clarity over spectrum issues related to WiMax. “A policy statement only can push WiMax offtake,” said an expert.

“BSNL is planning to take WiMax to 8,000 villages where it is the easiest and most efficient way to offer broadband. We have already tied up with Aperto for equipment,” a BSNL official said.