WiMAX could be a non-starter

[darkone]

i would say more around the R1 million mark per base station would make sense.
was involved with iBurst in West Africa and you are looking at that sort of price per base station including

- base unit, PAs, Antennae, wiring
- microwave backhauls
- containers with air-conditioners
- electrical and generators with automatic switch panels
- 24 months rental paid upfront (west african practice)

Rooftops with reliable electricity were slightly cheaper, but not far off that R1 million mark. The real problem is what does a single Wimax base station gives you in terms of total throughput, capacity and coverage. This is what the vendors don't tell you and you can spend R35 million or R100 million to provide the same coverage and throughput depending on the network economics of your chosen vendor

 

[psivius]

T-Systems SA = pathetically pessimistic outlook.

 

[Playoff]

Alapan Arnab needs to get away from the stats and study the real world before making statements like
"(nobody besides Neotel currently offers an uncapped broadband service for less than R1000 per month),"

Screamer Telecoms has a WiMAX uncapped package for R740 p/m

 

[Roman4604]

The real problem is what does a single Wimax base station gives you in terms of total throughput, capacity and coverage.

This is relative to how one views they technology and decides to use/deploy it.

If one sees WiMAX as an alternative to traditional cellular networking (UTMS/HPSA), that is to provide high density coverage allowing for reasonable indoor performance with stubby/internal CPE antennas, then you're are basically running the same business model that requires a large amount of BTSs, high subscriber uptake and large voice/data cross subsidisation. The local loop radio transmission equipment, whatever it may be, makes up a small part of the total costs involved.

To my knowledge the only people trying to do this are Sprint/Clearwire in the US, will be interesting to so how well they do.

If however one views WiMAX as a wireless DSL technology, where a BTS is basically a wireless DSL exchange and CPE connectity is provided via fixed outdoor high-gain antennas, the picture looks a lot different. In the scenario BTS coverage is potentially expanded 5 fold (topology allowing) and the economics start looking a lot more attractive on a moderate scale. In the absence major obstruction/interference by virtue of elevated outdoor CPE antennas, throughput will largely be a function of the amount of spectrum at your disposal.