| An increasing number of businesses, municipalities, | | | | professionals who need to stay connected while |
| and individuals are seeing the benefits of wireless | | | | on the go. |
| Internet access. It's really no wonder that this | | | | Now there's a type of wireless technology that |
| type of technology is growing increasingly popular | | | | could serve as severe competition to G3. This |
| because of its flexibility and the fact that it offers | | | | type of technology is called WiMax and it |
| an economical way to put a lot of different | | | | combines many of the best points of both Wi-Fi |
| devices and their users onto the Internet or a | | | | and G3 technologies. Like G3, WiMax can operate |
| Local Area Network. Wireless hot spots are great | | | | over extremely large distances- up to 30 miles. |
| for flexible use and varying numbers of users. | | | | Like Wi-Fi, WiMax is extremely effective indoors- |
| After all, how could there be a better way to | | | | which is something that G3 technology doesn't do |
| supply Internet access to all of the computers in | | | | so well. WiMax is also much faster than Wi-Fi. The |
| an office, as well as the laptops and Blackberry | | | | combination of speed and large coverage area |
| type devices that employees bring in and use on | | | | makes WiMax extremely effective for providing |
| a variable basis? The same flexibility makes | | | | large numbers of people with high speed Internet |
| wireless hot spots an attractive thing to install in | | | | access. |
| coffee shops, airports, libraries, and even homes. | | | | One thing that WiMax doesn't do as well as G3 is |
| There are currently several widely available | | | | provide mobile Internet access. That's because at |
| varieties of wireless Internet access. The most | | | | the frequencies that WiMax carriers are currently |
| common by far is Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is a short range | | | | licensed to operate at the Doppler effect is an |
| type of wireless networking that's commonly | | | | issue, while the frequencies that G3 is licensed to |
| associated with the wireless hot spots you'd find | | | | use aren't as effected by the movement of the |
| in a coffee shop or bookstore. It's extremely cost | | | | user. |
| effective and easy to set up just by hooking a | | | | However, this shortcoming of WiMax compared |
| wireless router into a broadband Internet | | | | to G3 is simply a regulatory issue. WiMax would |
| connection. | | | | be just as good for mobile devices as G3 is if it |
| G3 is another popular way to get onto the | | | | was licensed to use the same frequencies. And |
| Internet wirelessly. A G3 network uses | | | | there lies the major explanation for why it hasn't |
| technology that's similar to the cellular technology | | | | been widely adopted yet- lobbying on the part of |
| that allows for the used of mobile phones. G3 | | | | companies that have a lot invested in G3 |
| technology allows smart phones and laptops to | | | | networks and don't want the competition of a |
| connect to the Internet over cell phone towers | | | | technology that could serve more people in a |
| and while moving at extremely fast speeds like | | | | wider variety of ways. |
| on a train or in a car(the Doppler effect can ruin | | | | Of course there is the hope that the two |
| some types of wireless connections even at | | | | technologies will be able to coexist- even possibly |
| relatively slow speeds) and over a very wide | | | | in the same devices- so that they can be used in |
| area. It's been the technology of choice for | | | | the situations that suit them best. |