Betting Big on Wireless

When wireless started making its presence felt in early 2000, many people
were apprehensive that it might just be an over hyped technology that will never
go mainstream. But as the view is in 2008, the skeptics are nowhere in sight as
wireless today is becoming the game changing technology in telecommunications.
As we stand at the cusp of the wireless boom, WiMax has become the in thing.

If we look at an emerging market like India, it is still WiFi that is
predominantly used, with WiMax going in for last mile connectivity. But the
market is on the threshold of boom, and going by a recent Gartner study, India
will have 6.9 mn WiMax connections by 2011, given that the government expands
the current 3.5 GHz band to facilitate faster adoption. The governments
proposal to open up the 2.5 GHz, will double the service providers frequency
and most experts are of the opinion that this should be done fast.

Notwithstanding the slow pace of WiMax adoption, there is a huge potential
waiting in the wings for wireless access device manufacturers who sell to large
operators in building their WiMax infrastructure.

Lets here look at one company that has taken a daring plunge to cash in on
the WiFi and WiMax potential. Chennai based Brovis Wireless Networks offers
WiMax and WiFi based broadband wireless access (BWA) systems. The company offers
converged products that support both WiFi and WiMax. Muthu Logan, president and
CEO of Brovis says, There is a myth that WiMax will compete with WiFi, but in
reality they complement each other for seamless connectivity. Since our
inception in 2003, our focus has been in providing cost effective standards
based wireless technologies.

While a majority of the companys deployments were on the WiFi, it is
doubtless that in the coming years, WiMax will take off in a big way and
actively pursue converged wireless on 802.16 and 802.11 platforms. The company
has developed the industrys first Wave 2 compliant WiMax wireless systems,
under the MAXCell range. This aims at the last mile access and extended
enterprise application needs. Other indigenous developments by Brovis include
the TrueEXOR (true extended outdoor range), with claims that it greatly
increases the range, speed, and reliability of the wireless connections. The
company says that the TrueEXOR point-to-multipoint technology significantly
enhances the capabilities of the current standards based IEEE 802.11 wireless
technology that enables mass adoption due to wider reach.

Muthu Logan says, Our innovative and cost effective WiMax 16e solution along
with our current WiFi solutions will complement our effort in offering
cost-effective solutions aimed at bridging the digital divide. With this
breakthrough solution, we hope to provide the much needed converged services for
the masses globally Brovis has deployed its wireless systems across segments.
On the enterprise side, it has done large campus wide wireless deployments, and
in residential complexes and hotels. On the much lucrative service provider
segments the company has provided long haul connectivity, last mile
connectivity, and rural broadband kiosks.

Brovis today has an installed base of 10,000 of its various devices, deployed
across various verticals. The company manufactures all its products in Chennai
and has a manufacturing capacity of 35,000 devices per quarter. With an early
mover advantage backed by converged multi-protocol products on WiFi and WiMax,
Brovis might make it big keeping in view the emerging WiMax opportunities.

Shrikanth G

shrikanthg@cybermedia.co.in