Mobile Broadband Race: Friend or Foe?

Abstract

The wireless industry could evolve in many different ways over the next five to ten years, demanding robust strategies from network operators, vendors, regulators, and service and content providers. Competitive scenario suggests a fragmented market with diverse opportunities for all wireless players. With the advances of telecommunications, there exist a plethora of radio technologies where a number of them have an overlapping marketplace. The study analyses the current trends of these different broadband wireless options, with particular emphasis on Wi-Fi, WiMAX, WiBro, HSDPA/HSUPA, EV-DO, and Mobile-Fi; from both technology and market segmentation perspectives. It is learned that despite the intense competitions among these technologies, they would, and could, complement each other in many aspects. The main aim of the study is to revise previous understanding of various wireless technologies and generate insight about the fundamental factors that guide the evolution of mobile broadband development now and in the future.