WiMAX Forum: Latin America to Account for More Than 10% of Global WiMAX Subs by 2012
December 17, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
The WiMAX Forum projects that more than 13 million consumers in Latin America will be Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) users by 2012.
Additional data from this WiMAX Forum study estimates that approximately 70% of the forecasted WiMAX subscribers by 2012 will use mobile and portable WiMAX devices to access broadband Internet services.
The WiMAX Forum Worldwide Subscriber and User Forecast examined the progress of WiMAX service providers, equipment vendors, content developers and subscribers in regions around the world.
The results reflect the growth of the WiMAX ecosystem, the acceptance of WiMAX technology and demand for mobile Internet services across the world, according to the WiMAX Forum. The forecast is based on results of an independently commissioned research study published this year.
WiMAX in Latin America
There are 95 WiMAX deployments in the Caribbean and Latin American region, with 10 deployments in Brazil and seven in Peru, said the WiMAX Forum. Latin America will hold several auctions in 2009.
Countries interested in WiMAX include:
- Argentina – More than 100 companies expressed interest in purchasing licenses at the resolution 250/2008 spectrum auction, where 3.3-3.7 GHz spectrum for WiMAX will be auctioned off.
- Colombia - The Colombian Communications Ministry expects to award spectrum licenses in 2009.
- Jamaica - The Jamaican Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce released information about the upcoming auction for 2.5 GHz band licenses. Information released included details about 125 MHz distributed for wireless broadband and 3G services and 65 MHz for subscriber TV services in the 2500 MHz-2650 MHz band.
"In November, the Brazilian Telecom Regulator, Anatel, requested comments and suggestions from interested parties on its drafted proposal of conditions for use and channelization of band 3.4 - 3.6 GHz allocated primarily for mobile and mobile personal services," said Ron Resnick, president and chairman of the WiMAX Forum.
"This alludes to a future auction of frequencies in that prime WiMAX band, clearing the way to intensify the WiMAX movement in Brazil and Latin American overall. We expect that this region will be a major growth area for WiMAX in the next few years."
The first Mobile WiMAX products were WiMAX Forum certified in the 2.3 and 2.5 GHz bands. 3.5 GHz products under certification testing are expected to be announced by the end of the year.
The WiMAX Forum estimates that by 2011 there will be more than 1,000 Mobile WiMAX Certified products available worldwide.
There are more than 400 deployments of WiMAX networks in more than 133 counties, according to the WiMAX Forum. The WiMAX Forum also expects to have a global roaming plan available to operators by the end of 2008.
Source: WiMAX Forum.