Two-thirds of the service providers intend to use WiMAX for mobility-based services by 2012 according to a Infonetics Research survey.

Two-thirds of the service providers intend to use WiMAX for mobility-based services by 2012 according to a Infonetics Research survey. Of the surveyed providers, over 90% expect to offer VoIP over WiMAX by 2012. 64% of service provider plan to offer full mobility by 2012.

Howver key challenges remain, specifically, the limited range of WiMAX-enabled mobile devices, and the difficulty of building low-ARPU pricing models for developing countries, states the report. 

“The WiMAX industry is up against the clock to address these challenges if it is to fulfill its undoubted potential as a long-term broadband technology,” notes Richard Webb, directing analyst for WiMAX, microwave, and mobile devices at Infonetics Research.

According to report availability of WiMAX-enabled mobile devices tops the list of respondents’ commercial challenges. Other top commercial challenges include marketing and positioning WiMAX services, building retail and distribution channels, providing service level agreements for enterprise customers, and defining a pricing model for a low-ARPU market

Infonetics surveyed purchase decision-makers at 25 WiMAX-only operators, fixed-line incumbents, competitive fixed-line providers, and mobile operators to capture a strategic overview of WiMAX operators.