Twelve years ago, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) began working on a standard for wireless local area networks (WLAN), and by 1997 they managed to come up with 802.11. A radio-based standard, operating at 2.4 GHz, the 802.11 group took a further two years to develop standards for the 802.11a and 802.11b standards which operated at 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz respectively.
Although it operated at the same frequency as 802.11, 802.11b was less susceptible to noise and was designed to provide higher data speeds. Despite ongoing concerns regarding security, it provided an early base for the roll-out of wireless broadband.
John Lindsay, engineering services manager for licensed carrier, ISP and wireless broadband provider Agile/Internode, points out that unless properly managed, wireless networks are prone to excess traffic.
"Back in the early days of 802.11b, it was really fast and everybody was wide-eyed and enthusiastic, but then the services became over-subscribed and unreliable," Lindsay says. "As an access provider you can always start deploying infrastructure every 500 metres, but once you are making that kind of commitment of capital you may as well lay fibre."
In order to overcome these problems, many wireless providers offer a premium service on a dedicated frequency, or use proprietary technologies designed to provide a more reliable service. Despite a recent merger with Datafast, Perth-based wireless provider EFTel intends to continue to offer wireless broadband via a wireless technology developed in Israel.
"We can guarentee service, whereas with the 802.11 standards there is less guarantee the signal will get through," explained Gary Dundon, senior sales consultant for EFTel.
However, most wireless broadband providers offer a service based on a particular 802.11 standard and many, such as Broadband Wireless based in Tasmania, are adopting the next generation of the 802.11a standard as technological improvements improve its range.
While such improvements have lead to greater reliability, data rates and service, industry observers such as Lindsay see wireless broadband as purely complimentary to ADSL, fibre and cable services.
"At the end of the day nothing beats a piece of glass; it is private, secure, reliable and fast," Lindsay said. "Typically the people that end up with wireless are those that can't get ADSL."
However, wireless broadband does have some particular benefits of its own. Unlike ADSL, broadband wireless connections tend to be symmetrical, so companies which rely heavily on uploading information don't have to be stymied by the limits imposed by asynchronous ADSL connections.
Keith Ondarchie, chief executive of Melbourne-based broadband wireless service Accessproviders, says increased use of digital formats and a growing interest in services such as VoIP is driving wireless broadband growth.
"Customers aren't really interested in the delivery system. They want to know about the applications, and match the connection to their needs," Ondarchie says. "Because broadband wireless can offer symmetric connections it is perfectly suited to customers who are able to upload more than they download."
And the benefits don't end there. The small but growing pool of broadband wireless providers in the Australian market also point to low installation wait times and increased flexibility as key market drivers.
