The Wimax Forum's lead certification lab in Spain is open for business, and the first of the certified mobile Wimax products will hit shelves early this year.
Equipment that passes conformance and interoperability testing will receive the Wimax Forum Certified designation, assuring service providers that products are interoperable even when bought from different vendors.
With the Wimax Forum expecting "hundreds" of products to be submitted for testing, certified devices are projected to reach the commercial market in early 2008.
Meanwhile, a new report from Visant Strategies says that next-generation "Wave 2" Wimax devices will allow the Wimax camp to make gains in both the fixed and mobile wireless markets this year.
Wimax vendors are luring carriers to Wimax Wave 2 devices prior to certification via the economic advantages of MIMO antenna technology and with the promise of proven interoperability. Wave 2 certification is expected before the end of 2008.
Wave 2 equipment will not only boost Wimax's growth in the DSL/cable modem replacement market - which is currently providing Wimax with 50% annual growth - but will also "jumpstart mobile opportunities, since MIMO capabilities are a requirement of operators considering mobile Wimax deployment, and now they have it," says Visant Strategies co-founder Larry Swasey.
Visant reckons that Wimax subscriber device revenues in 2013 will fall between $2.5 billion and $4.7 billion, depending on mobile Wimax rollouts. The Wimax Forum estimates that more than 300 operators in over 65 countries have deployed mobile Wimax pilots and trials.
The Wimax Forum expects its four other certification labs in the US, Taiwan, China and Korea to open for formal Mobile Wimax certification testing soon, and also plans to create its first designated certification lab in India this year.