Difference Between Wimax and Wimax2 Network Technology
WiMAX or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access is the technology which has come up as an alternative to the Ethernet wired internet connection in the far flung areas. DSL or Digital Subscriber line is not capable of meeting the increasing demand for internet services and this is why demand for wireless loop has increased rapidly. Wi-Fi networks have the limitation of shorter range and lower bandwidth and this is why WiMAX has come up as a solution.
WiMAX and WiMAX2, both are used in mobile communication. WiMAX is accepted for 4G networks as per the specification of ITU. Here are some points to give you complete knowhow of WiMAX:
- Based on IEEE 802.16e standard, this aims to become wireless loop for broadband access.
- WiMAX uses the spectrum between 2.3 GHz to 3.5 GHz
- It uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access which is Multiple Access Technology.
- Its bandwidth varies from 1.25 MHz to 20 MHz as per the demand.
- It can cover up to 50 Km or can provide downlink speed of 70 Mbps, which is its maximum and this swapping between distance and coverage is a big limitation.
- It has 3 main components, MSS (Mobile Service Station), ASN (Access Service Network) and CSN (Connectivity Service Network) in comparison to GSM and 3G networks.
WiMAX2 is expected to be implemented in 2012. It is of IEEE 802.16m standard which is compatible with existing 802.16e standard of WiMAX. WiMAX2 is expected to provide downlink speed of 100 Mbps with enhanced VoIP capacity and lesser delay in data communication. The increased data rate is aimed to be achieved with smart antenna technology that has multi channel approach. It will use the spectrum ranging below 6GHz and is expected to offer bandwidth between 5MHz to 40 MHz as per the demand.
Differences between WiMAX and WiMAX2 Network Technology on the basis of some important parameters are given below:
- Downlink speed: WiMAX is offering downlink speed within 100 Mbps while WiMAX2 aims at 300 Mbps as per the ITU specifications for 4G technology.
- WiMAX2 uses 4×2 MIMO antennas which enhance its speed and make it just double of what is offered by WiMAX.
WiMAX is already being used in different countries while Wimax2 is still to be launched at commercial level.