WiMax: Altitude Telecom launches WiBox supply to cover the white areas
WiMax is not dead, it still moves! If the big brother of WiFi (better range, more speed) did not survive the emergence of LTE (Long Term Evolution, or 4G) in mobile, it is a complementary technology to ADSL fixed in white areas or gray.
Moreover, it is not new. In many departments of municipalities or local private high-speed WiMax is used under the public service delegations.
However, these deployments are very localized. And regional licenses granted to several operators have not really been exploited. Some, like Bolloré Telecom seem to launch their networks in dribs and drabs.
2 Mb / s for 39 euros
This is not the case of Altitude Telecom, a longtime specialist in WiMax. If the operator sold its national license to Free (which has done nothing with), it has not abandoned its ambitions in this technology.
Already WiMax solutions provider in the local or departmental initiatives and holder of 13 regional licenses, it announced Wednesday the launch of a comprehensive national for September in 13 French departments (12, 14, 27, 31, 39, 55, 61 , 64, 67, 72, 76, 79, 85, 71, 21, 89, 35).
Called WiBox, this offer is for individuals and very small white areas. Remember that these areas relate 2% of the population and 10% of the country.
Specifically, WiBox is a dual-play offers: Internet and IP telephony. Reportedly, the proposed rate is 2 Mb / s (the minimum to qualify as broadband).
The offer will be sold 39 euros per month for Internet and 6 euros per month for telephony, for a total of 45 euros per month. A dedicated box will be provided free to subscribers, so it will release in the WiMax broadband network operator.
If the price may seem high, the success of WiBox depend on the quality of service offered. However, these areas are white or gray now the subject of attention for many operators.
Technos competing
WiMax is in competition with the satellite, mobile broadband (3G) and even optical fiber that can offer higher speeds. The examples multiply. (Networks in the Midi-Pyrenees or the public initiative " Ardèche-Drôme Digital ").
The latest example with the urban community-Sarreguemines Confluences (Mosel), which signed a partnership with Numericable.
In addition, the government seems also opt for the fiber in low density areas involving the Deposit and Consignment in investment networks.
But for Altitude, WiMax really his playing card. Moreover, the operator does not have to change its offer to other territories and to complementary services (triple play).
Source: Nouvel Obs
