NEW DELHI: Telecommunication companies are gearing up to launch the WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) technology in India in a big way. The potential of this technology that allows wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes is huge as the Indian wireless broadband market is estimated to touch Rs. 52,000 crore by 2012.
“The Indian WiMAX market including devices will be worth $13 billion (Rs.52,000 crore) in 2012. This market projection takes into account 2.75 crore WiMAX users, or 1.9 crore WiMAX subscribers in 2012,” C. S. Rao, Chairman of WiMAX Forum’s India Chapter told The Hindu. The WiMAX Forum is an industry-led, not-for-profit organisation formed to certify and promote the technology.
Stating that all big global WiMAX players, including Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola, Huawei, Samsung, all are setting up shop in India, Mr. Rao said the projected market included broadband wireless products as well as services. “Soon we will see WiMAX embedded notebook and other gadgets flooding the Indian market. The Government has already announced its rollout by this year-end; and within a year, the entire country is likely to be covered,” he added. In India, WiMAX represents a win-win proposition, benefiting network operators and subscribers at the same time. Broadband penetration being low, the opportunity for operators to gain large numbers of subscribers through WiMAX is incredible. Any service provider with innovative service offerings, attractive devices and go-to-market plans that maximise the utility offered by WiMAX technology to price-sensitive Indian customers can use this ready and proven technology to quickly gain market share,” Mr. Rao explained.
According to Mr. Rao, with the recent regulatory decisions, India has now joined other major developed nations like the U.S. and Japan, besides Korea, Taiwan and Russia in freeing up prime spectrum for mobile WiMAX deployments, which would proliferate the use of this technology. “The major rollouts of WiMAX technology in India will have a tremendous positive effect on the economy as it will greatly increase economic productivity by laying the groundwork for important initiatives, such as distance learning, telemedicine and e-governance,” he added.
