Network operator claims that a complete rollout of WiMAX is unlikely in the UK

A wireless broadband industry group has recently advised that a widespread deployment of WiMAX broadband services is unlikely to happen in the UK.

Recent reports from a popular IT information website, trial of the WiMAX broadband technology have so far been highly successful albeit for a small number of specialist applications according to the wireless broadband network operator, Bluenowhere, which is also a member of the Mobile WiMAX Acceleration Group (M-WAG).

The chief executive of the wireless network operator, Harry Aldridge advised that the national establishment of this next generation technology was made all the more unlikely because of the lack of backing in the UK by any of the major network operators.

The possibility of WiMAX being used by mobile network operators as their Fourth Generation (4G) solution was not currently expected by M-WAG said Mr Aldridge.

Many industry experts believe that many mobile network operators will be more likely to opt for Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology as their preferred 4G broadband technology when the time comes to upgrade their services.

Mr Aldridge said “It is far more likely, for a number of reasons, to be deployed to serve niche markets.”

Claims made by The Guardian saying that locations where broadband access of at least 2Mbps was not available would benefit from faster broadband access if WiMAX transmitter were fitted to every local BT exchange in the country has led to the currently assessment that has been made by Bluenowhere.

Whether this assessment is accurate remains to be seen, although whatever step are taken by network operators it is still the government that has made the promise of 2Mbps minimum universal broadband access to every home in the UK and it is likely that it will eventually have to use every technological tool at its disposal to make this promise a reality.