WiMax is Still Coming � How Regulators Can Help

A couple of months ago, I noted with some skepticism that the WiMax product � although promising � appears to be benefiting from a great deal of hype. A great article published this month in The Economist also underscored some of these same ideas: that WiMax is potentially great for developing countries, but that (quoting The Economist article) there is a great deal of �WiMax Cool Aid� being served.

All hype aside, the product is still promising.

Indeed, WiMax is potentially a great product; in my previous life as a wireless deployment manager we found spread-spectrum unlicensed microwave links to be an essential component for interconnections of certain networks, particularly for sprawl areas (we used them in Canada and Brazil, for example) where individual microwave link applications and licenses took too much time, were too costly, and inefficient. Promotion of a standard that lowers the prices of such point-to-point equipment should be heavily promoted by governments and their telecom regulators. And this is particularly so in the case of a relatively open standard where many manufacturers can produce the product and low-cost access to the technology is assured.

However, there are nontrivial problems to overcome. The most important is the line-of-sight requirement of frequencies above 5 GHz. This is perhaps one of the most fundamental � and yet widely misunderstood � characteristics of wireless spectrum. So unless WiMax is being developed and promoted for lower frequency applications (which would be great), these uses may be better suited for outdoor applications. Outdoor is a fine (and important) niche, but if it is going to work, there are two very practical aspects where regulators can be helpful to promote WiMax success.

The first aspect has to do with zoning and planning regulations. If WiMax takes off as planned, there will be many outdoor dish-type antenna installations at people�s homes and businesses, not unlike the small satellite dishes that people now use to receive satellite television. Planning and zoning regulations must allow consumers to do this � something that is not always evident. In some municipalities (particularly in the early days of satellite dishes) residents had to apply for special approvals for their installation. Much of this has gone away � but in many cases the regulatory restrictions were overcome because of a loophole in some municipal regulations that allow for passive reception antennas (i.e. receive only, not transmission). WiMax devices will be both send and receive, which opens up a host of new issues. Some are planning code matters similar to the satellite dish issues. However, other complications involve electromagnetic frequency (EMF) transmission levels. Since WiMax antennas will transmit, they may be subject to additional regulations in some municipalities. Thus, regulators can help work with zoning and planning officials to simplify (and in most cases eliminate) the approval processes for outdoor antenna installations of WiMax type equipment.

The second area where regulators can be helpful is more direct (and early) involvement in the EMF aspect. Regulators should be working now with WiMax standards developers and others to make the EMF aspects clear and straight forward. It is a (relatively) low-power, spread-spectrum product, and should not be a problem with existing transmission safety levels. Nonetheless, we have seen hysteria in many parts of the world have important negative consequences on wireless deployment. The Vatican, for example, had to lower their radio transmission levels after hysterical protestors declared that �Vatican radio preaches life but brings us death.� EMF hysteria is at its best when antennas are outside a building � and for such installations many regulatory codes in some parts of the world require separate filings showing aggregate transmission effects. This, itself, could kill (or greatly hinder) the deployment of WiMax and other long-range products where an antenna is installed outside.

In sum, in spite of the hype, WiMax is promising. Hopefully regulators can help promote the promise with some early action.