WiMax scarcity of voice services

Although WiMax will achieve a 50% growth rate over the next 5 years, this wireless broadband technology will account for less than 10% of the mobile infrastructure market due to the lack of voice services.

However, according to Dell'Oro (USA), WiMax network will still bring 2 billion USD to investors in 2011.

Greg Collins, Dell'Oro Vice President, predicts that worldwide mobile infrastructure equipment revenue will grow steadily in the coming time, especially in 2008, when WiMax is already deployed.

Meanwhile, WCDMA 3G will gain significant market share from rival technologies such as GSM or CDMA. CDMA market is showing signs of shrinking because some potential areas such as India, Brazil and South Korea are diverting mobile subscribers to GSM or 3G services. CDMA technology accounted for 20% of mobile infrastructure in 2006 but will be only 13% in the next 4 years.

GSM providers are also upgrading to WCDMA. " Although users are indifferent to WCDMA, it will replace GSM in the long run ," Collins asserted.