Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

When WiFi access is hit or miss, the IT suffers in comparison to vaguely similar devices that offer 3G cellular access. Since the IT will not have 3G absent a major corporate earthquake (not the routine triannual reorganization), WiMax is (perhaps was) the only hope for IT lovers not wanting to be dependent on WiFi.

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

You're kidding, right? :rolleyes: 3G access works great for me (with fall-back to EDGE when I'm out of 3G coverage areas).

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

Augh! Why did you have to tell me this? :eek: I figured WiMAX was another one of those things Canadians had to hear about but not have available or affordable. Now I see there is extensive coverage in my area! Cheap! (Rogers Portable Internet and Sympatico Internet Unplugged $25-$60 per month, depending on bandwidth) Now I need a new gadget. And I was so happy with my existing one.

Well, it seems you have to have their modems for the time being. We'll see if you can get to it from third party devices soon.

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

Don't assume your example defines the whole. ;)

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

Personally, I don't see the point, either.

I mean, right now, I pay ONE monthly access fee and can use that data stream on either my N95 or my N810 (tethered to the N95). That's HSDPA, and as was pointed out, falls back to EDGE, which means that for one price I have what's basically a nationwide coverage area.

With WiMax (the same argument could be used against adding a SIM slot to the Tablets) I now have to pay for ANOTHER data access point. I highly doubt that I'll be able to use the same data stream on my cellphone AND my Tablet. Also, I'm now limited to the WiMax carriers (being Sprint and Clearwire, basically), whereas with BT tethering, I could use AT&T for HSDPA, Sprint for EV-DO Rev A, Verizon for EV-DO, or whoever else.

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

What is more interesting to me, if the WiMax is feasible replacement for my home internet connection? (To do so I'd like to have ~2Mbits/s or better speed... Currently I have 5Mbits/s FiOS, but that is more speedy that I really need...) The benefit I'm looking for is one bill to pay for mobile and home high speed internet access.

This is how it (should?) work: Once at home, I'd have WiMax receiver (or how do you call these units?), and hook that up to Wlan router. That is to connect my home PC computers, SIP-phone, as well as the N8x0 devices.

When on the go, I just turn off (if even needed?) the home WiMax receiver and enable the N810W WiMax radio to "transfer" the service over there. Then I'd have the same high speed internet coverage on the go, and only pay one monthly bill!

Is this possible or just a dream?

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

Has anyone here actually used a WiMax service? My Dad used to have Clearwire (Ohio) and it was horrible. I could bluetooth tether my macbook to my sprint moto q and pull up pages faster than he could.

Also, does WiMax handle handoffs, etc? With the 3G network, I can drive home from work (25 miles) and never have a hiccup in my streaming radio :)

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

Ahh, but for folks like me I CAN do everything on one line. With WiFI I do everything since I don't have a cell phone and will not get one until prices come down by at least 1/3 or more and then maybe never since my SIP costs almost $0. What this promises is reasonably high speed access that can roam much easier than WiFI. However I doubt I would replace my home internet with this so I'm not yet sold on the idea.

But Rogers/Sympatico/Bell? These are the people that I won't buy *anything* else from so I'm still doubtful about their Max products. I see there is Millennium Data Services in Canada offering WiMAX. Oh, they call it 'pre-WiMAX'. Like so called N-WiFI, I'm not touching it until it is final and more mature. By then the IT lineup will have matured and priced nice.

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

I've actually had quite a bit of experience with Clearwire, both in Abilene, TX for a year and a half (one of their initial launch cities) and more recently, in Waco, TX, to livecast my wedding:

http://www.flixwagon.com/wedding/ over Nokia N82's.


I found the service to be pretty stinkin quick, and having 2 cellphones continually streaming video over it is pretty impressive.

Re: Why is WiMax such a big deal?
 

In fairness, you could always tether your phone to the tablet for the tablet's data connection... that probably is not trivial, though, as I'd bet it's not a use case the phone s/w designers looked at.