WIMAX and HSPA Battle It Out To Usher In Next Wave of E-Commerce

Internet has permeated through all walks of lives, and this has tremendously increased the need for better connectivity. Lately, businesses regardless of being offline or online, view internet and its connectivity as an indispensable part of their business process. However, remote areas and their businesses had to be satisfied with the available connectivity, owing to chiefly, higher cost of laying cables where returns would be minimal for the service providers. Growing hunger for internet usage has spurred technology providers into action to produce a slew of connectivity tools. Among them, two distinct technologies called WiMAX and HSPA emerged to fight it to the hilt for larger share of connectivity pie.

 

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is the technology that allows user to navigate the internet wireless. It is a telecommunication technology that can carry data to long distances either by point to point links or full mobile access. The key feature of this technology is that it operates on the same Broadband Wireless Access Standard of IEEE 802.16, which was set up in 1999. WiMAX also has the ability to extend local Wi-Fi networks over larger expanse of coverage area by up to 50 kilometers and its backed by Intel, world's largest semiconductor company.

 

Similarly, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) too boasts of superior technology akin to that of WiMAX. In a nutshell, it is a collection of mobile telephony protocols that provide better performance over existing radio bandwidth. Equipped with state of the art 3.5G technology, it can touch amazing download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps. HSPA should be proud to get the support from leading equipment vendors including Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, Alcatel and Lucent. Its proven ability to perform extremely well in any condition and download speeds has helped the technology to be absorbed across several countries in a short span of time.  

 

Unfortunately, WiMAX was not without its own problems, in Australia, first WiMAX operator had to shut down its operation due to poor reach to long distances, contrary to its claim. On the other hand, HSPA service was able to produce the desire result in over 50 countries and 150 networks. For example, in some places subscribers could already watch streaming High Definition movies at 1Mbps. HSPA has also got a cost advantage over the other, per month charges as of now is in the realm of $30, whereas one has to shell out $10 more to get the same service from WiMAX.

 

Since majority of the people spend time outside their workplaces, e-mobility has become an inevitable tool in communication and business. Whether the winner is WiMAX or HSPA, wider expanse of area under internet connectivity through wireless services will enhance people to do day to day business, being anywhere in the world. High speed internet access through wireless technology will propel growth in all areas including business, education and healthcare.

 

Global internet wireless connectivity will also give an advantage for an entrepreneur who is away from the main markets to get reasonable remuneration for one's products or services. Real time e-mobility effects coupled with long distance internet coverage for one's communication suggests, E-Commerce will be the biggest gainer and is likely to increase its share in the world of business.