The increasing demand for mobile-enabled laptops, netbooks and other wireless
end user devices is helping to fuel WiMAX growth globally. Yet the
potential for future growth hinges on the ability of WiMAX operators and device
makers to provide and maintain the quality of service and user experience
Internet consumers expect.
Provisioning millions of new subscribers and managing millions of devices that
will operate on the network, often temporarily, poses unique challenges to WiMAX
operators. Managing a network that combines mobile and fixed equipment
requires a new set of management capabilities.
To meet these challenges, the WiMAX market has embraced the Open Mobile Alliance
Device Management (OMA-DM) standard, which has been proven in the cellular
industry by managing hundreds of millions of mobile devices worldwide. The
standard has been adapted to meet the distinct requirements of WiMAX operators,
chipset makers and equipment manufacturers of fixed, nomadic and mobile devices.
In the cellular market, the OMA-DM enabler is used by operators and
manufacturers to remotely manage mobile phones and other devices over the air,
including performing firmware updates, provisioning, configuration management
and diagnostics. WiMAX operators, like Clearwire in the U.S., are choosing
to manage devices using OMA-DM and have included it as a mandate in building
their networks. To meet this requirement, WiMAX chipset makers and
equipment manufacturers are actively embedding standards-based OMA-DM client
software into their products. WiMAX chipset makers including Intel, Beceem
and Fujitsu Microelectronics are embracing OMA-DM client software to further
accelerate device development and ensure out-of-the-box network interoperability
in all the major mobile WiMAX networks.
Although the U.S. WiMAX market remains in its early stages, it is poised
for significant expansion this year with rollouts in major cities like Portland,
Las Vegas, Chicago, and Atlanta. In order to compete or surpass current
networks such as cellular, DSL and cable, WiMAX operators need to capture market
share with compelling pricing, prove the technology’s capability and deliver
high bandwidth and other functionality not available in current networks and do
so quickly, within the next 1-2 years (before LTE becomes a serious threat).
By leveraging the cost-effectiveness of standards-based device management, WiMAX
operators and device makers will be well positioned to support expansion with
the scalability and efficiency within their networks by adhering to the OMA-DM
standard.
As important as OMA-DM is to the current phase of WiMAX deployment, it will be
even more important as these networks evolve by providing the platform to
deliver more advanced applications and services to WiMAX consumers in the
future. The prospects for WiMAX are merely up to the imagination of the
operators and their ability to offer attractive services, regardless of the
device. The bandwidth capabilities anticipated in WiMAX will likely bring
unprecedented access to video, movies and more, driving additional revenue
streams to operators, manufacturers and ISVs as new services and applications
become available.
Lori Sylvia, EVP Marketing
Red Bend Software
Lori Sylvia is responsible for Red Bend’s worldwide marketing efforts,
including product management and corporate marketing. She has 13 years of
experience in marketing and communications in the networking and
telecommunications sectors, previously serving as Red Bend’s VP, Corporate
Marketing. Prior to Red Bend, she was director of marketing for General
Dynamics’ $3 billion IT services division, and served in various senior product
marketing and management roles at venture-backed start-ups including OpenReach
and Indus River Networks, acquired by Enterasys Networks in 2001.
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