[opendtv] Analysis: WiMax Could Be "The New Radio"
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 08:58:57 -0400
http://www.radioink.com/headlineentry.asp?hid=128818&pt=inkheadlines
Will WiMax Be "The New Radio?"
By Rick Dearborn (Radio Ink, 5/9/05)
The arrival of a new technology could have a broad impact on the
radio industry. There is every indication that it will influence the
way radio delivers programming and the way it tracks audiences.
Surprisingly, there has been little if any discussion about it within
the industry, as it is a broadcast technology that broadcasters did
not develop.
Enter WiMax
The new technology is being called WiMax. No doubt many readers are
already aware of Wi-Fi, a popular form of wireless technology
intended to free computer users from their electronic tethers by
creating wire-free local area networks or "hotspots" with a workable
range of 300 feet. As long as you stay put, the system works great.
But, when you move between hotspots, you must reconnect, often to
another service provider. That limits Wi-Fi's ability to be a truly
mobile technology.
Great as it is, Wi-Fi is only a taste of what's on the way. Last
year, a consortium of more than 200 member corporations - rather like
a who's who of the communications industry (AT&T, Cisco Systems,
Intel, Lucent, Motorola, Nokia, Time-Warner etc.) - approved the new
WiMax wireless standard. Equipment is scheduled for standards
certification this summer.
WiMax has been designed to have a range of 30 miles from a single,
well-located transmitter; within that range, data transfer rates are
anticipated to be 70 Mbps. To put that in perspective, most radio
stations use ISDN connections to retrieve high-quality audio from
remote broadcasts. A single WiMax connection has the equivalent
capacity of more than 500 ISDN lines. As a further comparison, many
radio stations have T-1 connections to the Internet for their
computer networks. A single WiMax connection would offer the
equivalent of 60 T-1 lines, or seven DVD-quality video signals to
each individual wireless user.
At least initially, WiMax is likely to have many of the same
connecting challenges as Wi-Fi. In other words, you need to stay
within the hotspot to be connected. But, clearly, a metropolitan-area
hotspot has a lot more going for it than one that covers only a
portion of an office building.
Already on the fast-track is an enhanced version of WiMax, scheduled
for approval this summer. With field trials projected for 2006,
enhanced WiMax will be for use in moving vehicles. Not only is it
proposed to work at highway speeds, but it also is being designed to
re-connect easily as you move from hotspot to hotspot, in a manner
similar to cellular telephones.
With the network of established cell towers already in place, some
analysts are predicting that, as early as 2008, you might be able to
get a high-speed mobile wireless Internet connection nearly anywhere
in the United States. Imagine having a browser in the dashboard of
your car, with preset buttons for "favorites" that could include
Internet radio stations around the world, weather maps, music,
movies, television, your security cameras at home, and even a picture
phone.
Impact On Radio
Clearly, a new medium that can deliver audio and video into moving
vehicles coast-to-coast is a broadcast medium. Industry people
working with AM, FM, HD or satellite should sit up and take notice -
and with this new standard being tested next year, radio should do it
quickly. (For information on WiMax, visit the WiMax Forum website at
www.wimaxforum.org).
Consider the mass media of today: radio, television, film,
recordings, newspapers, magazines, books, etc. Each has developed in
sync with advances in the varying delivery technologies. But today, a
website can deliver audio, video and text on the same page at the
same time - truly multi-media. As bandwidth capabilities have
increased, the technical quality of web-based delivery has followed
suit. Add wireless delivery, and you have a broadcast medium that is
capable of a seamless integration of print, audio and video material.
WiMax actually is only a small part of what is coming, as several
other technologies are being rolled out. UWB (Ultra Wide Band)
promises ultra-high-speed connections between devices at short range.
Already demonstrated is home-entertainment equipment that will allow
the user to distribute high-quality media signals between rooms
without wires. A next step may be transformation of how radio routes
audio signals around a facility and produces content, potentially
without wires. However, unlike WiMax, UWB proponents are currently
locked in a standards battle that is restraining implementation.
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology is beginning to
replace bar codes for product identification. Already in use at
Wal-Mart, it allows wireless tracking and cataloging of physical
objects. Soon, wireless RFID may allow you, while shopping in the
grocery store, to access your refrigerator at home to see what tagged
items you have on hand. At check-out, all you will need to do is push
your loaded shopping cart of tagged items through the checkout lane,
without removing them from the cart.
RFID technology has the potential of revolutionizing audience
ratings. Imagine having RFID tags in audience radios, enabling
stations to know not only what audiences are listening to, but
exactly when and where, with instant and continuous real-time
feedback.
It is hard to think of an area of daily life that wireless technology
won't impact. Imagine driving back from a ski vacation and being able
to turn up the heat at home. A sales rep may be able to directly
schedule spots with a handheld device during a client meeting in a
restaurant.
Threat Or Opportunity?
All technical innovations can be considered a threat or an
opportunity. With the advent of new wireless technologies and others
certain to follow, the radio industry, while appearing mature, may
actually be in its infancy. One way or another, all appearances are
that radio could be entering the dawn of a new era.
As listeners become increasingly connected to devices that transform
their lives, they will no longer have to decide which one to turn on
to receive programming. Whatever device they use - PDA, cell phone or
something we can't yet envision - will already be media capable. The
increasing challenge will be to snag audience attention in an
environment that is far more distracting than anything we can
comprehend.
It is logical to believe that there will be a continuing thirst for
valuable information and entertainment. Following the pattern being
set by the cable industry, successful media probably will become more
specialized than ever. For example, imagine a person who likes golf.
Would that person listen to radio programming customized for golfers:
music, commercials for golfing products, golf tips, and stories from
other golfers about their experiences? It seems likely. How about
backpacking, antique cars, home projects, or any other activity? It
is hard to imagine hobbyists who would not want to tune into
customized radio programming directed at them.
Certainly, WiMax, and other related technologies will have growing
pains. Delays from unforeseen technical problems and the usual
standards issues are anticipated. However, as we observe what has
been learned from technologies such as Wi-Fi and cellular, as well as
the level of industry-wide support for WiMax as a universal standard,
there is every indication that this technology will succeed.
For what may be the first time, a new form of broadcasting is coming,
one that broadcasters have not had a stake in developing. It has come
from outside the radio industry, and it appears to be right at the
doorstep.
Radio is in the audio-content business, and content will remain king.
To address this challenge and seize an opportunity before it
blindsides the industry, however, radio must remain alert, work
together and think outside the box. If broadcasters can succeed at
that, this may indeed be the sunrise of a new radio era.
Rick Dearborn is a media technology consultant and has taught
college-level mass communication courses. Visit www.rickdearborn.com.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts:
