WiMax Internet In Lebanon

[xXiTz.AJzXx]

Yesterday minister of telecommunications M.Gebran Bassil annouced the launch of the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) internet service in Lebanon –a telecommunications technology that provides wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links to portable and fully mobile internet access.

What do you personally think about this new project, and whats the pros and cons of WiMax internet service? Is it faster or slower then DSL ?

[arzleb]

Internet wise it has the same speed as DSL and Wigo or Mobi devices which are pre wimax.

Our international bandwidth is the problem and not the implementation of new technologies, with the absence of local exchange servers and local hosting of Lebanese sites and services everything will be slow.

[Don_Corlerony]

Doesn't wimax need a network to operate on? are they using the GSM network?

[nuclearcat]

WiMax by the way is VERY expensive, noncompetitive and works only in rural areas (reliable and with profit).
In cities it is money wastage, just one more broadly advertised money sucking technology. Asians using WiBro, Europeans pushing 3G, USA also switching to 3G. Much more promissing also 4G/LTE.

[elchebib]

Originally Posted by arzleb

Internet wise it has the same speed as DSL and Wigo or Mobi devices which are pre wimax.

Our international bandwidth is the problem and not the implementation of new technologies, with the absence of local exchange servers and local hosting of Lebanese sites and services everything will be slow.

I second that.....

[xXiTz.AJzXx]

Originally Posted by Don_Corlerony

Doesn't wimax need a network to operate on? are they using the GSM network?

Yes they are going to use GSM network according to tayyar.org

[xXiTz.AJzXx]

Originally Posted by arzleb

Internet wise it has the same speed as DSL and Wigo or Mobi devices which are pre wimax.

Our international bandwidth is the problem and not the implementation of new technologies, with the absence of local exchange servers and local hosting of Lebanese sites and services everything will be slow.

I disagree.

WiMax is way different from Wigo or Mobi...these two provides internet wirelessly from satellites,whereas WiMax can provide internet from based servers in different locations in Lebanon...overseas WiMax can provide internet speeds up to 20 Mbps.

[nuclearcat]

Sorry xXiTz.AJzXx, but technically you are talking completely wrong.

WiMax, WiFi(Mikrotiks, Ubiquity, Z-Com and others), 3G, 4G, LTE - is just distribution technology. They have their benefits and their drawbacks. Any of them can cover all Lebanon with perfect quality, if it is done _PROPERLY_.

Any startup company is usually faster. Because they didn't reach profit level and their bandwidth is relatively free. But later they need to get back investments, plus all business plans will hit lebanese reality and optimistic investors will start tightening screws.

P.S. Satellites - it depends on ISP and his luck with Ogero. If someone got "fiber" this means he have long hands in "current" government. It doesn't depend on WiMax.

[xXiTz.AJzXx]

Originally Posted by nuclearcat

Sorry xXiTz.AJzXx, but technically you are talking completely wrong.

WiMax, WiFi(Mikrotiks, Ubiquity, Z-Com and others), 3G, 4G, LTE - is just distribution technology. They have their benefits and their drawbacks. Any of them can cover all Lebanon with perfect quality, if it is done _PROPERLY_.

Any startup company is usually faster. Because they didn't reach profit level and their bandwidth is relatively free. But later they need to get back investments, plus all business plans will hit lebanese reality and optimistic investors will start tightening screws.

P.S. Satellites - it depends on ISP and his luck with Ogero. If someone got "fiber" this means he have long hands in "current" government. It doesn't depend on WiMax.

Ok, is it gonna be a good introductions to the Lebanese infrastructures , is WiMax will provide us with faster internet speed ? otherwise are lebanese will stick to the DSL ?

[michom]

Originally Posted by xXiTz.AJzXx

Yes they are going to use GSM network according to tayyar.org

The GSM network can not handle the bandwidth of WiMax. Our mobile infrastructure is still based on 2G (2.75 if you want to consider EDGE in Beirut and 2.5 for GPRS elsewhere). I am not sure about the maximum bandwidth that can be provided by those base stations, but I am sure it is less than your 128kbps DSL.

There has been some talks around about a trial 3G network. But not before our 2G networks are optimized fully. 3G with HSPA technology can offer up to 7.2mpbs, and it has proven to be better than WiMax. LTE, or what you call 4G, has been tested and installed in some countries, and the results where satisfying. and we're still suffering with our 2G network....

As someone mentioned, it is useless to have a high speed infrastructure while the country's bandwidth capabilities are very limited. People in Europe, USA, and others are getting an Internet speed faster than our total country bandwidth (that might be exaggerated but not by much)

EDIT: a proof for WiMax failure... Look at the telecom vendors, Ericsson/NSN/... adopted 3G and successors, while Motorola (or was is Alcatel Lucient?) invested heavily in WiMax, we hardly hear about them now in the telecom market