This report provides information on the Australia's broadband marketplace using wireless technologies. It analyses the latest developments and provides some initial statistics and forecasts of the market. After years of waiting, the WiMAX standard was finally ratified in late 2005 and by early 2006 the first certified products had begun to arrive. Full commercial deployment is expected in 2007/2008. If the technology lives up to its promise, it will generate a wireless mobile revolution between 2008 and 2010. We now also see the emergence of the mobility aspects of personal wireless broadband; the report discusses the way forward where mobile data failed.

• Overview and Analyses
• Infrastructure & Regulations
• Fixed Wireless Broadband Overview and Projects
• Wi Fi Hotspot market Overview and Analyses
• WiMAX Overview and analyses
• Wireless Mobility Market
• Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN)
• High-speed satellite services

Also included are technical overviews on Short Range Bluetooth & UWB Medium Range 802-11 & HiperLAN Long Range LMDS, WiMAX, 802-16 & 802-20 Mesh Networks

With standardised WiMAX finally arriving there will be several opportunities for this new technology. It still can position itself as an alternative broadband customer access technology. The longer it takes for incumbents to roll out true broadband networks (10Mb/s-plus) the more chance wireless broadband (WiMAX and meshed WiFi) has of securing a position in this market. In the end it will depend on whether the technology case and the business case for WiMAX will stand up against alternative offerings from fixed and other mobile systems. The future of WiMAX however might be more in the area of Mobility and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs).

After years of waiting, the WiMAX standard was finally ratified in late 2005 and by early 2006 the first certified products had begun to arrive. Full commercial deployment is expected in 2007/2008. If the technology lives up to its promise, it will generate a wireless mobile revolution between 2008 and 2010.

This report introduces Australia's broadband marketplace using wireless technologies. Material on the fundamental promises and problems is presented, with some market opportunities elucidated here. The first started to emerge in early 2005. The market must be considered in the context of fixed broadband alternatives, which are typically dominated by Telstra via xDSL and cable connections. However, other developments are already appearing on the horizon with the arrival of high-speed Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs).

A number of different technologies are discussed, including WiMAX, HSPDA, LMDS and GPRS/EVDO and the major market players in each sector.

Of the 40 carrier licences ACMA granted in 2004-05, 26 of them stated their intention to deploy wireless broadband networks. With the prospects of wireless broadband becoming clearer we also need to make sure that our rules and regulations regarding spectrum management are updated to fit the new models that are emerging. Innovative new spectrum plans were launched by ACMA in 2006. This would allow for the developments of many more wireless broadband networks around the country.

Up till now the mobile market has mainly revolved around mobile calls and SMS. However this market is reaching the end of its life. On the other side we see the emergence of wireless broadband, the mobile aspects of this market are going show us the way forward where mobile data failed. This is the new market of "Mobility". This will further develop in an AI (artificial intelligence) network infrastructure, linked to personal devices, with high storage capacity and parallel processing. Data will move freely around this wireless grid, which of course, will also be linked into the fixed network.

The rejection of the UWB standard has thrown the merger of Bluetooth and UWB in disarray; nevertheless the concept of Wireless personal Area Networks (WPANs) remains very strong. WiMAX will now be the key development here. With or without UWB, WiMAX networks will begin to move towards WPANs. Another contender for this market is Super 3G or perhaps a combination of both technologies forming a new 4G standard.