WiMAX Equipment Market May Top US$3 Billion in 2010
WiMAX has an excellent opportunity to expand the market for fixed, portable and mobile broadband access, reports In-Stat. WiMAX's advantages in cost, flexibility and portability will also allow its providers to take market share from operators using proprietary wireless or wireline technologies, the high-tech market research firm says. The market's biggest challenge will be worldwide harmonization of spectrum sufficient to allow manufacturers to mass-produce equipment at ever lower prices.
"Our aggressive forecast for pre-WiMAX-Certified 802.16-2004 equipment -- subscriber units and base stations -- is $42 million in 2005, growing to $3.2 billion in 2010," said Norm Bogen, In-Stat analyst. "The conservative forecast is $19 million and $2.1 billion, respectively."
A recent report by In-Stat found the following:
-- The aggressive forecast relies on subscriber units, currently about US$500, falling to less than US$100 by 2010.
-- Though traction in the 802.16-2004 market will be important, the real success of WiMAX will depend on the much larger 802.16(e) market.
-- 802.16(e) offers new and existing mobile operators performance and economical improvements over existing 3G technologies, especially in its ability to deliver ARPU-attractive, multimedia services."
Posted to the site on 20th January 2006
