A Juniper Research (News - Alert) report shows that countries like India, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Australia will drive the growth of Mobile WiMAX 802.16e. The study provides insight into how WiMAX (News - Alert) will be rapidly deployed in several underserved areas, and how government program in countries such as Taiwan will support growth.

 

The new country-to-country report tracked more than 30 countries, and Juniper Research has predicted the Mobile WiMAX 802.16e market will grow to $23bn by 2013. Additionally, the report shows the market will witness active growth in all regions of the world.

 

Announcements on trials and network contracts are being made on a daily basis across the world. Recently, M-Taiwan was announced as a national project to set-up a networked information society. The project focuses on fostering IT-related industries in the domestic market. The highlight of the project also includes six WiMAX licenses across Taiwan.

 

However, the report warned against speculations, adding that both the availability of suitable devices and the award of licenses will play an important role in the success of Mobile WiMAX 802.16e, in Asia as well as in the global market.

 

“We anticipate that mobile usage will develop after initial demand for fixed and portable services — WiMAX 802.16e is a flexible platform that can operate in all three modes of usage,” said report author Howard Wilcox. “Mobile WiMAX will represent a single digit proportion of the Asian mobile broadband base by 2013, which will be a tremendous achievement for this new technology platform.”

 

“Mobile WiMAX will be a device-based technology, whether on handsets, laptops, datacards, or other types of consumer device such as media players. Any lack of availability will clearly inhibit market take-up. Over the next year, licenses in countries such as India, Japan, and Thailand, as well as in more countries in other regions, will be auctioned. Timely award of these licenses will accelerate market development,” Howard Wilcox had added.

 

Juniper Research compiled the report based on interviews with senior executives of some of the leading vendors and operators in the Mobile WiMAX industry.

 

Other highlights of the report include: Global Mobile WiMAX subscribers forecast to reach over 80m by 2013; the top Mobile WiMAX markets will be the USA, Japan, and South Korea; more than 10 countries will have Mobile WiMAX device markets in excess of $100M.

 

Several wildcard factors could considerably increase the size of the market. These include the emergence of very low cost laptops, and introduction of broadband capability to a range of devices including portable music/MP3 players, and games consoles.

 

White papers and further details of the study “Mobile WiMAX: Global Opportunities, Strategies & Forecasts (Second Edition) 2007 – 2013” can be freely downloaded from Juniper Research.