4G World: The gigabyte generation is here – Part II

25 Sep 4G World: The gigabyte generation is here – Part II

CHICAGO -“If you are still talking about less than a gigabit of speed to end users for any networks that have yet to be implemented, you are way behind the times,” comments James Carlini.
(Editor’s note: Read Part I here) PART II – After attending 4G WORLD at McCormick Place last week and listening to those in strategic positions talking about WiMAX and the future of mobility-based devices supported by wireless broadband connectivity, it is safe to say, “People who do not understand the new applications are the same ones who think having less than a gigabit speed of access.”
3G NETWORKS? SLOW. 4G NETWORKS. FAST!
In the presentation of Clearwire’s CEO, Morrow, he showed a short video clip with a side-by-side comparison of an iPhone utilizing a 3G network for access and another iPhone using a 4G network. The results were very visual and irrefutable. The 3G networks just do not transfer the information fast enough.
Part of the video also showed a measuring device measuring the speed of download on each network and the comparison for where the video was shot was

• 1.1Mbps for the 3G network
• 4.4Mbps for the 4G network

Bottom line: If you have not gotten a smart phone yet and your friends have, just wait till you can get a smart phone on a 4G network. It will scream past your friends’ phones when it comes to downloading pictures and videos. A 3G network? That’s so last year.
What I liked about the 4G World tradeshow was that I got to talk with a lot of people from various companies that really understood where we came from, where we are today and where we have to be tomorrow with network infrastructure.
Many enterprise decision-makers do not go to trade shows due to various reasons:

• No budget,
• Cannot take time off of work, or
• Too immersed in a current project.

It is too bad because they do not keep up with what is going on and it is easy to see that within their organizations.
HORSE-AND-BUGGY NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE: YOURS?
The old way of doing a single connection to a building or campus is definitely not what you want to do for any planned and new facilities. Tying into one central office with all the connections going on one route to it is not only obsolete, it is dangerous if you count on connectivity to your business. Multiple routing and the use of several different carriers is the only way to go if you look at your communications network as mission critical to your enterprise.
How many buildings and campuses are still designed to the old standard? Too many.
Carlinism: WiMAX capabilities will push new applications that were not feasible with slower last-generation network speeds.
Recent columns by James Carlini

• Real estate quagmire: Where is the bottom? We’re not there yet
• 4G World: The gigabyte generation is here – Part 1
• FCC calls for industry, individuals to help in defining broadband
• Twitter: Time-wasting Internet toy telling everyone routine?
• Obama’s “Cash for Clunkers” program morphs into “Bucks for Trucks”