WiMAX vs LTE Technology

WiMAX vs LTE Overview

WiMAX and LTE are both using a name 4G technology. Which technology is better? Check the comparison test
between WiMAX and LTE.
What is 4G
4G is the fourth generation of mobile internet access technology. ITU-R has made requirements for 4G called IMTAdvanced. International Mobile Telecommunication Advanced ITM-Advanced requirements are the following:

Maximum speed of 1 G for low mobility communication like pedestrians

Maximum speed of 100 M for high mobility communication like trains and cars

Both WiMAX and LTE still dont meet these requirements, but they both use the name 4G.
What is really 4G What is 4G and what is the 4G Speed.
More about the 4G internet and 4G technologies you can read on 4G Internet There is still no Real 4G Technology on
the Market.
WiMAX and LTE Similarities
Before going in WiMAX vs LTE duel, lets check their similarities. Both these 4G technologies are quite similar. Check
below the similarities:

They are both all IP technologies

They both support advanced MIMO multiple input and multiple output antenna technology

They both use similar modulation technology based on OFDM orthogonal frequency division multiplexing

WiMAX vs LTE Differences

Beside similarities, WiMAX and LTE also have many differences:

LTE-A uses different channels bandwidth from 1.4 MHz to 100 MHz, while WiMAX uses channels bandwidths up
to 40 MHz

LTE uses different modulation for uplink (SC-FDMA) and downlink (OFDMA), while WiMAX uses the same
modulation for both uplink and downlink SOFDMA

LTE frame duration is 10 ms, WiMAX is 5 ms

LTE-A can handle speeds up to 450 km/h or 280 mph, while WiMAX 120 km/h or 75 mph

WiMAX network doesnt support legacy systems like 2G and 3G, while LTE is compatible and enables
coexistence and roaming between LTE and 3G.

Cost for building WiMAX network is lower than cost for building LTE network

LTE Advantages over WiMAX

What is LTE

LTE is compatible with previous mobile technologies GSM, GPRS, UMTS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA, CDMA-one,
CDMA2000, EV-DO, EV-DV and the synchronous SC-CDMA

Enables much greater speed for the mobile users speed up to 450 km/h or 250 mph

Better technology for power consumption of mobile terminals it uses SC-FDMA for uplink modulation
technology that saves battery life of mobile terminals

LTE-A is only true 4G technology

Read more about the LTE technology in the post What is LTE, 4G Technology and LTE Advanced.
WiMAX Advantages over LTE
IEEE 802.16

Deployment of WiMAX network is much cheaper than deployment of LTE network

Great choice for private mobile broadband wireless networks

More about the WiMAX standard you can read in the post 802.16 Standard for Wireless MAN or WiMAX Network. In
the post What is WiMAX and How WiMAX Works, you can read about what is WiMAX, WiMAX vs WiMAX2 and how
WiMAX works.
The Conclusion of WiMAX vs LTE Which 4G Technology is Better
The LTE is much more popular and widespread than WiMAX and I am sure that the big majority of the mobile
operators will chose the LTE as its 4G technology. One of the biggest advantages of LTE over WiMAX is its compatibility
with all previous mobile technologies GSM, GPRS, UMTS, WCDMA, CDMA, CDMA200, EV-DO. WiMAX is compatible with
the previous version of WiMAX that were not used as mobile technologies. It is also important to mention that the
latest LTE standard, LTE Advanced or LTE-A, is the only true 4G technology.
WiMAX is a better choice for the low cost installing network in developing countries, wireless replacement for the DSL,
private networks in dedicated industrial segments.
Read another article - 4G vs LTE key differences explained about the WiMAX vs LTE.
4G vs LTE key differences explained
Anyone whos been in the market for a new smartphone recently isnt just spoilt for choice when it comes to awesome
Android handsets, but theres an ever growing range of data packages and network types to choose from as well.
Of course, youre likely familiar with the older 3G standard, but newer handsets are often listed with a variety of next
generation communication technologies, advertised as 4G, LTE, and sometimes 4G LTE. While that may make them
appear virtually identical on the store shelves, there are actually some drastic differences between the technology
advertised and the actual 4G mobile communication standard.
The 4G standard
All the way back in March 2008, the International Telecommunications Union-Radio (ITU-R) decided on a set of
specifications for its new 4G standard. The ITU-R is the United Nations official agency for all manner of information and
communication technologies, and aims to help promote and regulate various communication standards across nations.
The ITU-R decided upon a set of requirements for bandwidth, spectral efficiency, and a load of other technical points,
for future 4G networks. But the most important point for us users is the peak download speeds, which are defined as
100 Mbit/s for high mobility devices, such as mobile data speeds on your smartphone while driving in car, and up to
approximately 1 Gbit/s for low mobility local wireless access. To put that in some perspective, typical current download
speeds are often in the range of 10Mbit/s, while 4G should offer 100 times faster downloads at a rate of 1Gbit/s.

Its a long road, but faster data speeds are heading our way. True 4G could offer data speeds more than 10 times the
current LTE download speeds.
That sounds great, but the ITU-R doesnt have any control over implementation. As such, first generation 4G
technologies, such as LTE or Mobile WiMAX, have been criticized for not matching up to the full specification. The
reason for this is that other groups, such as 3GPP or IEEE, who work closely with the technology companies responsible
for delivering the hardware, had already coordinated next-gen technologies with their members.
LTE-Advanced, the true 4G
It wasnt until October 2010 that the ITU-R completed an assessment of six candidates to be considered true 4G
technologies. After much deliberation, LTE-Advanced and WirelessMAN-Advanced were designated IMT-Advanced
compliant technologies, and the age of real 4G began. LTE-Advanced is the technology that we are going to see in
western markets, so heres a little rundown of what makes LTE-A so special.
Firstly, its important to know that LTE-A isnt just about handset download speeds, theres a big push to make
improvements to infrastructure in order to achieve these high download rates. LTE-A aims to improve data speeds by
using a mix of traditional macro cells and vastly improved small cells. The aim is to offer better high speed coverage at
the networks edge and more bandwidth, but the transmitters will have to function on different frequency bands in
order to avoid interference.

The big buzzword with LTE-A is carrier aggregation, which will allow receiving handsets to make better use of these
fragmented bands, in order to downloaded data faster. The LTE-A standard supports up to 5 carriers and up to 100MHz,
which will enable download speeds of over 1Gbit/s. However, launch will only support the aggregation of two 10 MHz
carriers, enabling peak data rates of 150 Mbit/s. The final important feature is the use of multi-antenna techniques
(MIMO) and Coordinated Multi Point (CoMP) to provide more capacity and more consistent data rates across cell
boundaries. In other words, you will be able to maintain a more consistant download rate as you move in and out of the
range of transmitters.

However, under pressure from 3GPP and IEEE, HSPA+WiMAX and LTE were also allowed to be labelled as 4G
technologies despite not offering these features, as many companies had already begun investing in these networks
during the two and a half year deliberation.
4G imposters
This has left the consumer market in a bit of a mess, allowing carriers to offer a variety of different 4G plans for many
years, despite none of them having a network which meets the official requirements. Lets breakdown some of the
technologies currently being offered as 4G, and why they dont match up to the ITU-R standard.

A quick comparison of the theoretical and real world implementations of current and future network technologies. All
4G products currently on the market are considered pre-4G. Source: Tech Spot
WiMAX
US consumers may remember that Sprint was the first to the 4G market with its WiMAX technology. However this was
only ever built to offer customers around 3-6Mbit/s download speeds and upload speeds of just 1 to 1.5Mbit/s, and was
rightly shunned by disappointed consumers.
WiMAX fails to deliver even 1% of the theoretical peak download speed of the 4G standard created by the ITUR. Fortunately, Sprint is phasing out WiMAX support in favour of its new LTE network.
HSPA+
HSPA+ is the pinnacle of current 3G technology, offering a theoretical 168Mbit/s downlink speed. In reality most HSPA+
coverage is only capable of 21Mbit/s, with some areas being upgraded to 42Mbit/s and occasionally even 84Mbit/s. But
even the fastest implementation of HSPA+ is a long way behind the 1Gbit/s download speed required to be considered a
real 4G network. But this hasnt stopped a number of US carriers from advertising HSPA+ as 4G.
T-Mobile was one of the first companies to falsely advertise its HSPA+ network as 4G, and AT&T followed suit shortly
after. Arguably AT&T is even worse, as its network started out with capabilities peaking at 14.4Mbit/s download and
5.8Mbit/s upload speeds, which is ridiculously slow for a 4G network. Users in the UK, and some other countries, will
probably have noticed that some carriers actually offer HSPA+ as part of their 3G network packages. So it seems that US
consumers are being sold and overcharged to use a slower network under the guise of a next generation technology.
HSPA+ vs. LTE here.
LTE
More recently, carriers have begun to offer LTE options that can theoretically offer a 100 Mbit/s download speed for
mobile devices. Coverage currently varies depending on your carrier and real world data speeds are often nowhere this
theoretical maximum, and are often reported to only be a tad faster than HSPA+.

It takes a long time to upgrade an entire network, but LTE is slowing making its way across the US. Source: US Cellular
To be a little more specific about the other shortcomings of LTE, other than the lack of download speed, its also lacking
in uplink spectral efficiency and speed, and it falls short of the true 4G capacity of 3.7 bps/Hz/cell, mainly due to the lack
of carrier aggregation and multi-antenna techniques, which will enable higher speeds. LTE is a stopgap solution before
the real 4G experience reaches us with the rollout of LTE-A.
Carrier marketing
If all these different technologies werent confusing enough, carriers have been all too keen to exploit the 4G marketing
term to consumers who are seeking faster data speeds. Other than offering network types which arent capable of true
4G speeds, carriers are beginning to offer compromised 4G packages as they transfer their existing networks over to
LTE. Take a look at AT&Ts current 4G marketing, which claims to offer users fast 4G speeds on both the HSPA+
network and on the LTE network.

Based on this advertisement, youd assume that LTE was 2.5 times as fast as HSPA+, but the reality is often
disappointing.
We already know that HSPA+ is not fast enough to be considered true 4G, and the LTE coverage areas are also
surprisingly small. Despite the PR talk, this smarter network essentially means that youll be dropping down to the

slightly older HSPA+ network when out of range of the LTE network, and the small print even states that 4G speeds
arent available everywhere either. That doesnt sound like anything promised by true 4G or LTE-A.
Fortunately companies openly offer information on their network coverage, so its always worth checking out exactly
what coverage and speed youll receive in your area before deciding on a 4G contract.

What is WiMAX and How WiMAX Works?

What is WiMAX, how WiMAX works and is it the best option for your wireless internet connection? Get all the
answers about the WiMAX technology in this article.
What is WiMAX?
WiMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a wireless technology for long distances. It is based on
IEEE 802.16 the family of broadband standards for Wireless MAN Metropolitan Area Networks. 802.16m standard is
a newer Wireless MAN technology that supports bigger data rates. 802.16m standard is popularly called WiMAX2.
WiMAX, like WiFi is the wireless last mile broadband access.
Wireless MAN is the wireless network that covers larger areas like cities or regions. The name WiMAX was introduced
by a WiMAX Forum organization formed to promote the WiMAX technology. The WiMAX Forum certifies WiMAX
equipment and ensures the interoperability between different vendors.
WiMAX vs WiMAX2
Name

IEEE
family

Downstream Upstream Frequency

Modulation MIMO
speed
speed
bandwidth

WiMAX

802.16 37 Mbps

17 Mbps

10 MHZ

TDD

22 MIMO

WiMAX2 802.16m 110 Mbps

70 Mbps

20 MHz

TDD

22 MIMO

WiMAX2 802.16m 183 Mbps

188 Mbps 220 MHz FDD

WiMAX2 802.16m 219 Mbps

140 Mbps 20 MHz

WiMAX2 802.16m 365 Mbps

376 Mbps 2X20 MHz FDD

TDD

Notes

Fixed clients
22 MIMO on 1 Gbps
with
44 MIMO multiple
channels
44 MIMO

How WiMAX Works?

WiMAX Components
You know what is WiMAX. But, how WiMAX works? The best way is to start with
the WiMAX components. A WiMAX technology has two parts:
WiMAX tower Photo
courtesy of Intel

WiMAX tower

WiMAX receiver

WiMAX tower
The WiMAX tower works similar to cell phone towers. It can cover the area of 3000 square miles almost 8000 square
kilometers.
WiMAX receiver
WiMAX receiver
The WiMAX receiver can be a box, PCMCIA for laptop or PCI for desktop card. There are also
laptops with the built-in WiMAX receiver.
Two Kinds of the WiMAX Service
There are two kinds of WiMAX services:

Non-line-of-sight NLOS WiMAX services

Line-of-sight LOS WiMAX services

NLOS WiMAX Services

The non-line-of-sight service is similar as WiFi. NLOS WiMAX works on lower frequencies 2 GHz to 11 GHz. The lower
frequency spectrum doesnt have problems with physical obstructions and atmospheric conditions. The range is about
25 square miles or about 65 square kilometers.
More about the WiFi you could read on what does WiFi stand for.
LOS WiMAX Services
With the line-of-sight service there is a fixed outside dish antenna which points directly to the WiMAX tower. The LOS
WiMAX service uses higher frequency range from 10 to 66 GHz. Here there are higher speeds and less interference. The
range could be 2800 square miles or 9300 square kilometers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of WiMAX

Advantages of WiMAX Technology
WiMAX technology provides the following advantages:

Long range access

Symmetrical bandwidth over long range

A single WiMAX station can serve hundreds of users

It works on an unlicensed frequency spectrum

Disadvantages of WiMAX Technology

The disadvantages of WiMAX technology are:

Spectral limitation

Poor bandwidth when serving lots of clients

High cost both for installation and operation

Unreliable service

Weather conditions like rain can have a big impact on the service

Big delay

Line-of-sight is needed for longer distances

Interference with other wireless signals

It has a big power consumption

Multiple frequencies are used for WiMAX deployment

The Overview of WiMAX Technology and its Usage

WiMAX Technology

WiMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access is a wireless technology. It supports transmission speeds
up to 40 Mbps. With the update 2011, the maximum speeds are even up to 1 Gbps for fixed stations. WiMAX enables
the last mile wireless broadband access and serves as an alternative for the fixed broadband technologies like cable, DSL
and optical fiber.
IEEE 802.16 is a family of Broadband standards for Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks. Official name of the 802.16
family is Wireless MAN, but it is more known for under the name WiMAX.
If you are interested to find out more about the family of Wireless MAN standards, you could read article 802.16
Standard for Wireless MAN or WiMAX Network.
More about the other types of wireless technologies you could read on How Does Wireless Internet Work.
You could also find the name for WiMAX WiFi on steroids. To check more about the WiFi read what is WiFi.
The Usage of WiMAX
Is the WiMAX technology the right choice for you? When you take in consideration disadvantages of WiMAX, but also
advantages of this Wireless MAN technology, WiMAX is the right choice for the following cases:

Offering broadband wireless internet access in the remote places without DSL, cable, fiber optic access.

Enabling portable wireless broadband connection between cities and even countries.

Wireless backhaul technology for 2G, 3G and 4G cellular networks.