What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of WiMAX?

The main advantage of WiMAX is that it allows high-speed wireless Internet connections over a broad coverage area, while the main disadvantage is that it is expensive to install. Companies and municipalities set up WiMAX networks to provide home or mobile Internet access throughout an entire city or county.

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access governs wireless communications. Because it covers a broad area, WiMAX provides Internet access to remote areas that cannot be serviced by other broadband services. As a wireless technology, it can provide high-speed connections for a variety of devices, including cell phones and computers.

WiMAX can provide wireless service in two ways; each way has advantages and disadvantages. One type of WiMAX requires a line-of-sight connection, which means that a fixed-dish antenna must have access to a WiMAX tower that is clear of obstructions such as trees and buildings. A line-of-sight connection can be difficult in certain places, such as a heavily wooded area. However, line-of-sight transmissions use high radio frequencies, which have little interference and a high capacity for exchanging data. Another type of WiMAX does not require a line-of-sight service but allows a small antenna on a computer to connect to a WiMAX tower. The disadvantage of this type of WiMAX is that it uses a lower frequency range, which involves more interference and less capacity.