What is Wimax?

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Soulreaver

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I am currently suffering from internetlessness:D I have tried ADSL - I got no telephone line. MTN, Vodacom, Neotel and iBurst - got no coverage. But with Wimax I have excellent coverage (Whatever Wimax is!). Can anyone please tell me exactly what Wimax is? At what speed does the average Wimax run? Is it wireless? Where can I get Wimax?

I have looked around on the website, but it is not telling me anything!

THANKS
 
From Wikipedia:
WiMAX, meaning Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a telecommunications technology that provides for the wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-point links to portable internet access[citation needed]. The technology provides up to 2 Mb/sec symmetric broadband speed without the need for cables. The technology is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard (also called Broadband Wireless Access). The name "WiMAX" was created by the WiMAX Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote conformity and interoperability of the standard. The forum describes WiMAX as "a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL"[1] (and also to High Speed Packet Access).
Click to expand...

Essentially - instead of copper to the exchange you have a microwave signal.

Speeds: atm from 512kps to 1mbps depending.
Suppliers: iBurst, Telkom, Screamer.
Latency: Reported at 30-50ms slower than copper adsl
 
I am sure if you search this forum a bit you will get all the info you need and you will also see that WiMax is an excellent alternative to ADSL. I have yet to hear about a WiMax user that complains about the service, except for speed upgrades :D

It's cheap, fast and has low latencies. Installation takes faster than ADSL. Howzit is a representative of Screamer (I assume) and they have attractive packages and Telkom is cheap as well, Iburps(vodacom) is a bit more expensive.
 
I'm also clueless - where does one get it, is it available for example in Durbanville and what hardware does one need ?
 
daveza said:
I'm also clueless - where does one get it, is it available for example in Durbanville and what hardware does one need ?
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Obviously, you need a pc. They supply the rest, but you don't get a router with. You have to create PPPoE connections on your pc. Takes about 30secs to do. You can buy a router (not a normal one), but it isn't needed.

Screamer uses google earth to show you the exact locations of their WiMax towers and you can work in a >25-30km radius.
 
Hey jeez thanks you guys!! It is the best news I have heard in a while. wow4life, do you think I wil be able to play wow with Wimax? I will go and look a bit around on the Wimax website for pricing and bandwidth packages
 
Fixed Wireless Broadband is installed by Telkom or a Telkom appointed contractor, once your application is approved Telkom will make an appointment and install an outdoor and indoor unit, the equipment remains Telkom's as it is classified as Telkom Connection Equipment (TCE) and not Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). The installation charge is levied once off at R490.00.

WIMAX is a very neat, unobtrusive technology as it does not deface your premises. A small inconspicuous outdoor unit as displayed in the diagram below is fixed on your house or office exterior which is connected via a Power over Ethernet cable to the indoor unit. The indoor unit is powered by a cable that plugs into your AC socket and connected to your PC via another Ethernet cable. Ethernet cables are just a fancy word for PC cabling. The outside unit receives the WIMAX signal from the WIMAX tower and in turn sends it down the Ethernet cable to your indoor unit and PC which allows you to connect to the Internet.

Is the R490 a once installation fee?
 
Soulreaver said:
Hey jeez thanks you guys!! It is the best news I have heard in a while. wow4life, do you think I wil be able to play wow with Wimax? I will go and look a bit around on the Wimax website for pricing and bandwidth packages
Click to expand...

With only a 30-50ms penalty (not tested yet) it will make little difference vs a copper-based adsl connection. Life is different here, we are further about from the EU servers in France and I will never get the latency that I had in the UK (which was 30-40ms :() But by all accounts 300-400ms is playable for raiding so have high hopes that it will work.

btw Look out for all the other adsl discussions to get additional info as you will still need an isp. My plan is to go WiMax with an WebAfrica unshaped account.

Atm I am in the queue for a Telkom WiMax installation (+- 4 weeks to go) - depending on equipment availability. In addition I have asked Screamer to do a test for me to see if my house has line-of-sight to one of their towers.

Time will tell ...
 
...What is an isp...?

How long will it take to get a Telkom WiMax installation?
 
Internet Service Provider.

Essentially the way things tend to work in South Africa (from what I can gather) is:
(1) You need to pay for the physical connection (line + exchange port). This is either the copper cable + the adsl port in the Telkom exchange or the WiMax connection + adsl port in the Telkom exchange (assuming it is using the Telkom backbone, which it will be unless you are going for one of the satellite backbones and the associated latency increases.
(2) You need to pay an ISP for bandwidth. Telkom sells their bandwidth to other companies (ISPs) who sell it to you. So you pay the ISP to use some of their Telkom bandwidth, which they buy from Telkom. Alternatively you can sign-up with Telkom as your service provider as well :/
 
I have a WiMax connection from Screamer with on average a 15ms to 25ms ping. I checked out the IBurps pricing and apart from working out at nearly 6 times Screamers pricing they only give the corprorates any attention for a WiMax connection. Screamer are the cheapest in the market ...for the present.
The trouble with Sceamers web site is that its google earth coverage is out of date so rather give them a call. I had my intallation done 3 days after enquiring.
 
All the information you need are in these 2 topics:

Code: 
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=100682

Code: 
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=131736
 
Playoff said:
I have a WiMax connection from Screamer with on average a 15ms to 25ms ping. I checked out the IBurps pricing and apart from working out at nearly 6 times Screamers pricing they only give the corprorates any attention for a WiMax connection. Screamer are the cheapest in the market ...for the present.
The trouble with Sceamers web site is that its google earth coverage is out of date so rather give them a call. I had my intallation done 3 days after enquiring.
Click to expand...

Nice - think I will go this route even if I get a fixed-line connection considering the problems people have with Telkom. However, doesn't Screamer connect into the Telkom backbone? I wonder who deals with exchange-related problems?
 
I think they do...

To sum it up.

WiMax - Telkom.
Installation = R490 once off.
Rental = R240/m
ISP = Who you choose. Most guy here has a Webafrica account, prepaid. there service is one of the best and the pricing isn't that bad. Other Nice ISP's include Axxess.
Installation for me took a week, but lately I see that differs as well...
 
they say that they can get me wimax in january... which is far tooooo late!!

how much does webafrica cost?
 
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