
WiMAX: Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ◾ 53
WiMAX and 3G
WiMAX, ratified in October 2007 by the ITU-R as a 3G standard (and included as
part of the IMT-2000 family of standards), is a complementary rather than replace-
ment technology for 3G wireless systems. Traditional 3G systems primarily target
mobile voice and data users but WiMAX systems are optimized to provide large-
range, high-rate wireless connectivity for a large set of services and applications that
require QoS guarantees.
Table 2.2 compares 3G, IEEE 802.16e, and IEEE 802.20 MBWA and MobileFi
[3]. Using WiMAX as wireless backhaul, a cellular network can provide hig