samer
Bank Byblos reported that Globalcom Data Services, a Telecom services provider along with with the Ministry of Telecomm and the Union of Arab ICT Associations, launched the first
WiMAX network in Lebanon.
What do you guys think?
rolf
That is a good replacement for DSL in these areas...
WiMax is licensed equipment. But for a change, this time there are actually valid technical reasons for the license, not only economic (understand thievery and shameless exploitation) like for bidirectional satellite equipment.
I hope it will be made possible for companies to get licenses for using wimax in P2P connections where needed.
BashLogic
wimax is a very feasable and decent solution. the best parts are that its setup costs are not so high, it has a wide coverage and its a simple technology to run. there are other faster technologies ofcourse but this one is a very feasable replacement for all the problems that are going arround.
proners
yet another bunch of ressources goes to fund another useless(arguably) wireless internet project, stop messing around and do more upgrades to the backbone thus bandwith, and make A/DSL reach more areas, therefore more users will benefit from the best technology(second-best really :p) available, I am sure that until DSL reaches those areas they will be quite happy with the inexpensive 'cable guy' there :P
rolf
well proners you have a point. The number of different technologies that were rolled out is ridiculous. (cable, wise, gds-thingie, isdn, wireless, dsl...)
BashLogic
thats lebanon, just as always has been, a dump site for the worlds left overs, seldom is the case that lebanon is genuinely part of new & latest usage.
the issue in lebanon is that you cant trust leaving your infrastructure laying arround as is with DSL and fiber technologies. this is an issue that costs blackmail money and other legal expenses. lets not forget that the lebanese landscape does not make things easy at all! I remember back in the ninties when GSM was being introduced, the initial plan was to have only several antenas here and there, at the end they had to ten-fold that figure due to the lebanese geopraphy. in both cases it was still cheaper and more easily maintainable in comparison to pulling landlines.
lets not forget, im not saying that wimax is the way to go, what im saying is that it has its pros. so far no one mentioned its cons, well here is a few, wimax is microwave based technology, hence bad weather, polution, obstacles all weaken the signal and its usage. so if initially wimax antenna can cover a 20km radius, in lebanese scenery, it would be well achieved if you can get 5-10km!!! so its setup is going to cost!!
and since you would need to have an average of 10km radius wimax cells, it would still require a different backbone technology which very well could lead back to fiber and dsl cables :D
so do your math and figure out its feasability. when it comes to cheap hardware and simple technology, i guess xdsl such as sdsl is best suited for a backbone but still that would bring you back to square one.
so as usually is in lebanon, you start with a mess and you end up with a mess...
nuclearcat
WiMax failed in many countries... only where it succeed - distributed flat land with few houses who dont have other choice. Why?
1)Cost of each base is 40-100K$ USD. It can cover 5-10km with Lebanese reality/mountains.
2)Frequencies is really fucked up.
3)Because of chaos constructions signal wont reflect well for NLOS. Weaker signal - less capacity.
4)Base is 5Mhz, with 64QAM it can do around 25Mbps. But reality says, that in best cause they will have 16QAM. It is 8.1 Mbps. They lie in datasheets about 200 users "typical". But this "typical" is when all is 64QAM. Usually it worse. So around 50-60 users online, each will have 128K.
5)WiMax base not small. Usually it is big rack needs a lot of electricity(and UPS), AC, clean room, well mounted tower for array of antennas. Most of buildings just dont have space for that.
Real profit from user for _TRANSPORT_ per user can be not more than $10(DSL transport takes less now). 60 users means $600/month - average 60 users. Ok, let's say all got crappy connection 64K and $1000. Now cut electricity cost($200 at least), room rent(anybody gonna give room at "good roof" for less than $100), equipment maintenance($100), license(let's take best case $50/base/month), salaries for engineers(for each 10 base u need certified engineer, means $2000/10 = $200/base/month), because with lebanese ligthenings, crazy EDL, interference it is ALWAYS problems), generator $100 at least . $650 monthly expenses. $250 month. 160 month to cover expenses. And pray to god that ur equipment will not die from lightening, crap electricity, dust or crazy people in building. Or ur expenses don't jump just because oil become expensive and generator fees will eat your tiny profit.
It is just short , but enough detailed calculations for specific equipment and "today prices". And it is relatively GOOD scenario. And i forgot about bringing backbone to this base.
Each small thing add cost to your life. Even you stupidly park your car and slowed down all traffic on road, you dont know, but actually you add dollar to your expenses. How? If transportation was reliable, all companies can maintain more equipment with same amount of technicians.
Lebanon dont have reliable way to rent roofs in specific region over municipality, there is no official way to access underground or other communications. And many many things, which make your internet crappy, expensive, slow and unreliable. And each person continue doing things in life chaotic way, and then asking "why all so bad".
And last: It is made to cover RURAL FLAT areas with medium private house density. Perfect example: UAE, Australia, some USA regions. It wont work well in Lebanon or will be much more expensive.
rolf
So its just another ill-planned way of luring people into paying more money...
VISP dont use WiMax, right?
I think someone installed a WiMax receiver on our roof once, but I dont think its VISP.
nuclearcat
receiver on roof? True WiMax receiver(CPE) is just indoor box on window or USB stick in laptop :-)
Btw 3G, (which is competitor technology for WiMax, and seems more successfull competitor, because most of telephones support 3G at least), in Saudi where internet MUCH cheaper generally (true unlimited megabits) - $100/3GB/. And it is really shitty. And yes, it is flat place, and reliable electricity at least.
For me few things says:
1)Base cost
2)Base capacity
3)Base size (and electricity consumption)
That says for me this technology will not be successfull in Lebanon. If i will have chance i will explain this in TRA. But probably company management will not allow me. Because if i will ruin unreal dreams(seems they are away from life and reality a bit) of government - they will take our license due anger.
teodorgeorgiev
Confirm. WiMax is a total failure almost everywhere. Here MaxTelecom (a BG telecom) planned to provide people with high-speed Internet,mobile TV and mobile phone (all in one) via WiMax.... well, they failed. And a lot of people knew that they will.
PON is the way. As Nuc said, WiMax shall be used only in rural areas, where it is harder to bring fiber optics (due to terrain obstacles,
or if the area is a protected reservation one) or if it is not profitable to do it (limited population).
But using wimax in high-density populated areas is really stupid.
