Broadband wireless access (BWA) operators have proliferated in recent years. Yet, to date, few have reached the kind of scale that would make them a serious threat to their wire-line competitors. Rather, they are seen by many as niche players, who are willing to work the stony soil of the marginal areas, where others are unwilling to venture.

If we believe only a fraction of the hype about WiMAX, the industry is poised for a radical transformation, but how well do we understand the diverse set of companies who can be grouped under the general rubric of BWA operators? Researchers canvassed 179 of the approximately 600 operators worldwide providing a wireless broadband service during 2006, creating what we believe to be the most comprehensive and up to date BWA operator study currently available. The objective of this survey is to create an accurate profile of the global BWA operator landscape. Operators were asked about their revenue; spectrum holdings; subscriber numbers; equipment suppliers; plans for future technologies, such as WiMAX; geographical coverage and residential/business split. This study provides a detailed analysis of this quantitative and qualitative research, comprising 60 pages of data analysis along with in-depth profiles for 50 selected BWA operators from around the world.

Topics of coverage include:

• Overview of the BWA market
• An analysis of the five basic operator types
• Profiles of 50 BWA operators worldwide
• Detailed analysis of survey data:
  • Use of spectrum
  • Choice of access and backhaul equipment vendor
  • WiMAX and mobility
  • CPE location
  • Use of Wi-Fi
  • Geographical coverage
  • Numbers of residential v business subscribers
  • Maximum bandwidths
  • Impact from DSL competition
  • Revenue and pricing
• Conclusions and trends

Companies mentioned, discussed or reviewed include:

Afranet Afribone Airdata/ DNS Net Airecable Airspan Networks Alcatel Altitude Alvarion AM Telecom Aperto Networks Axxcelera Broadband Wireless Blue Valley Telephone Blue/Broadband Access Brennercom BridgeWave Communications Broadband Wireless Cambridge Broadband Catsnet Tanzania Ceragon Cisco Systems-Linksys ClearWire Corporation CommSpeed CTR Danske Telecom Dialog Broadband Douglas Fast Network EarthLink Ektoo Enforta

Ericsson Eutel Antilles GDS (GlobalCom Data Services) GEAB Homeline IBAX IBERBANDA ICC Net Inukshuk IPWireless Irish Broadband Kijoma Kvamnet Kyocera Lintasarta Motorola Nasioncom Navini Networks Neda Telecommunications NEOTEC Netspeed Newcom Americas NextNet Wireless Orthogon Systems PBA Proxim Redline RF Technics

Rioplex RipNET Samsung Electronics Sentech Sify Simbanet Skyband Wireless SkyPilot Networks Smart Bridges Soma Networks SR Telecom T-Com Telabria Telecom Namibia Telem Telstra Teton Wireless T-Mobile Towerstream Trango Broadband Wireless Transmat Tropos Networks UK Broadband Unwired Australia Vyyo Wave Rider Wi-LAN Woosh Zanlink

Answers and opinions are provided with respect to the following essential questions:

• How is access pricing affected in markets where DSL is only readily available?
• What is the long-term outlook for BWA equipment vendors?
• What pitfalls does WiMAX deployment face in the coming years?
• Which vendors are the leading equipment suppliers?
• How are vendors represented across the various frequencies?
• How common is Wi-Fi as an access technology?
• What is the BWA operators’ attitude towards WiMAX?
• Does an operator’s view of WiMAX affect its current choice of equipment supplier?
• How important do operators see mobility as part of their future service offering?
• What are the Operator Types tending to use unlicensed spectrum for access?
• What are the typical coverage areas being deployed?
• How common are indoor CPE?
• Are smaller operators attracted towards specific vendors?
• What are the typical wireless connection speeds being offered?