Thread: Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition - The Real Internet Finally Made Mobile
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SD69 is offline SD69
2008-04-07 , 13:14
Posts: 1,513 | Thanked: 2,248 times | Joined on Mar 2006 @ US
#20
Originally Posted by bac522 View Post
That's not completely correct, WiMAX is a standards based technology, if you deliver a true WiMAX product it better work with anyone's network supporting WiMAX or you can't call it WiMAX; the question comes down to the frequency range being used by the provider which will determine if you can interconnect with a WiMAX signal. Of course actually getting access to a network will be similar to how many Wi-Fi hotspots work today where there may or may not be an authentication mechanism used to gain access to the internet.
First off, what I said is that the WiMax standard does not mandate a particular method for authentication. Anyway, you are the one who is not completely correct. You can call it WiMax; you just can't call it WiMax Certified unless it's compliant.
http://www.wimaxforum.org/certificat...cation_program
The WiMax standard (802.16) itself has different variations, not the least of which is mobile and fixed. A modem for fixed WiMax will not work on a mobile WiMax network. Unlike GPRS, you can't accurately say any WiMax device will work on anyone's wimax network.

And compatibility, from the perspective of a user who thinks "type in login details just like in any other internet modem?", is not limited to frequency. He/she is clearly referring to, but not understanding, authentication. Your analogy to 802.11a/b/g hotspots and that there "may or may not" be an authentication mechanism only proves my point.
Last edited by SD69; 2008-04-07 at 13:23.