Mobile broadband is currently developing at a very rapid rate. Only a few years ago 3G was being developed and now there is a large 3G network that covers most of the United States and other developed countries. Today, a format war is going on between the two contenders for the title of a standardized and improved 3G. This article outlines the positives and negatives of those two contenders: WiMAX and LTE.

WiMAX:

WiMAX is what is sounds like. Improved Wifi, maximized for distance. WiMAX is best known for being able to broadcast and receive at the same time (called MIMO, for multiple input/multiple output), which makes it perfect for large urban areas. It was originally developed as a way to create a huge wifi hotspot over entire cities that people would have to pay to use, but today, as smartphones get smarter and more people buy them, the MIMO capabilities are very important. Therefore, many companies, especially Sprint, are creating WiMAX networks. Some even call these networks 4g.

LTE:

LTE’s main benefit is that it is very easy to transition towards. This standard is being maintained by the 3GPP, a think tank that the industry uses to ensure interconnectivity, and therefore is similar to standard 3G. Unlike WiMAX, which would require a complete network revamp, many companies can implement LTE without changing their existing structure. However, it is slower and does not have MIMO capability.

Mobile broadband is very quickly evolving. Don’t be surprised if you see these technologies on the next phone that you buy.