Femtocells Emerge as a Key Enabler for WiMax Networks, Report Finds

Network operators are likely to rely heavily on deployment of home base stations (a.k.a. femtocells) as part of any aggressive rollout of mobile WiMax networks and services, according to the latest report from Unstrung Insider (www.unstrung.com/insider), a paid research service from Unstrung (www.unstrung.com) and TechWeb's Light Reading (www.lightreading.com).

The Future of Mobile WiMax: Where, When & How Much? identifies and analyzes key issues that will affect the deployment of WiMax through 2012. It examines how WiMax will affect the competitive landscape in developed and developing countries. The report also profiles 14 leading WiMax equipment vendors, offering insight into which companies are best positioned to emerge as key players in this market.

For a list of companies analyzed in this report please see: http://img.lightreading.com/uni/pdf/uni0908_companies.pdf

"After spending most of this decade generating a buzz, commercial mobile WiMax services are finally emerging online around the world," notes Tim Kridel, research analyst with Unstrung Insider and author of the report. "WiMax's potential has attracted nearly 500 vendors, not counting those who do not make WiMax products but sell to vendors who do."

Despite its positive momentum, mobile WiMax still has many challenges to overcome on its way to becoming a mainstream service, Kridel says. "One short-term challenge is the device selection, which is currently limited in terms of types and price points," he notes. "That is to be expected because mobile WiMax is in the beginning stages that all new technologies must go through, while device vendors wait for network launches to reach a point warranting aggressive device rollouts. This situation should begin to change toward the end of 2008."

Key findings of The Future of Mobile WiMax: Where, When & How Much? include:

-- Developing markets and underserved areas of developed markets are major opportunities for mobile WiMax.

-- The installed base of mobile WiMax networks is larger than it might initially appear, but operators are being cautious about rollouts until they are satisfied with mobile WiMax end-user devices.

-- Vendors assert that the mobile device selection will begin improving dramatically by mid 2009.

-- The WiMax vendor universe is huge and cutthroat, creating enormous pricing pressure on equipment such as base stations.

The Future of Mobile WiMax: Where, When & How Much? provides critical insight and analysis for a range of industry participants, including:

-- Operators that have launched or are building mobile WiMax networks, while initially focusing on providing fixed and/or portable services

-- Service providers trying to decide if mobile WiMax is beneficial to their buying equipment and launching services

-- WiMax operators trying to lower their backhaul costs

-- Vendors who are waiting to see whether or not mobile WiMax takes off as projected, making the service worth time and money

The Future of Mobile WiMax: Where, When & How Much? is available as part of an annual single-user subscription (12 monthly issues) to Unstrung Insider, priced at $1,595. Individual reports are available for $900 (single-user license).

To subscribe, or for more information, please visit: www.unstrung.com/insider. For more information on all of Light Reading's Insider services, please visit www.lightreading.com/research.

To request a free executive summary of the report, or for details on multi-user licensing options, please contact:

   Jeff Claudino
   Director of Sales
   Insider Research Services
   619-229-9940
   claudino@lightreading.com

   Press/analyst contact:

   Dennis Mendyk
   Managing Director
   Insider Research Services
   201-587-2154
   mendyk@heavyreading.com


  About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. It reaches an extensive audience of executives and technologists within the telecom and enterprise networking communities, as well as the financial/industry analysts and investors who track these sectors. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005, and operates as a unit of UBM.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (techweb.com/aboutus), the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, Wall Street & Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services ranging from next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.

* 13.3 million business decision-makers: based on # of monthly connections

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

SOURCE: Unstrung Insider

CONTACT: Jeff Claudino, Director of Sales, +1-619-229-9940, or
claudino@lightreading.com, or Press & analysts, Dennis Mendyk, Managing
Director, +1-201-587-2154, or mendyk@heavyreading.com, both of Insider
Research Services

Web site: http://www.unstrung.com/
http://www.unstrung.com/insider
http://www.lightreading.com/
http://img.lightreading.com/uni/pdf/uni0908_companies.pdf
http://www.lightreading.com/research
http://www.techweb.com/aboutus

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/141755.html