Wireless Broadband: The Road to 802.16e

There seems to be a lot of buzz about the 802.16e standard that should be finalized by the end of the year. Apparently, this new standard will make it possible for you to have a personal wireless broadband connection that you can carry with you wherever you go - kind of like a cell phone. The only company I've heard of doing anything in this space is Navini Networks www.navini.com. They have a carrier in Australia already using their smart antenna technology. This carrier, Unwired, has signed up subscribers and apparently, they can go anywhere in the greater Sydney area and have a broadband connection. The thing is supposed to work through walls and windows as well, so you don't just have to sit outside to enjoy the speed.

It's all made possible by something they call "adaptive beam forming." This is where the "smart" antenna makes a connection with the user and creates a beam that adapts as the user moves about. Anyway, Navini Networks is definitely worth checking out.