WIMAX: "Wi-Fi OSS can scale to tackle WiMax issues too"

As a leading OSS/BSS vendor in the Wi-Fi space, how do you view the
upcoming WiMax opportunity? What measures are you taking to maintain your 'specialized
vendor' position in the space?

We are all aware that WiMax is the next biggest revolution in the wireless
space. It is a welcome addition for a country like India where broadband
penetration is low, and WiMax will definitely increase the broadband connection
rate. WiMax complements Wi-Fi and it can also be used independently to provide
last-mile connectivity. WiMax will drive up Wi-Fi usage and vise versa, and it
will also provide additional services.

It will also mean maximum utilization for our products, as they have been
designed to support WiMax. We are a part of the WiMax Forum and we are closely
keeping a keen eye on the developments in this space.

WiMax will add yet another layer of complexities for billing and network
management purposes. What integration-related issues could be arising out of
that? What steps need to be taken by various stakeholders to sort those?

WiMax provides last-mile wireless connectivity and there will be complexities in
billing and network management, which is similar to those issues faced by cable
and DSL. GSM providers have also faced network management-related issues.

Paramjit Singh Puri

However, given our specialization in providing billing for Wi-Fi, we believe
we have an advantage as WiMax complements Wi-Fi. We have domain expertise that
can be leveraged to our advantage, rather than viewing it as an issue. We use
solutions for Wi-Fi deployment with regard to billing and network management and
we can scale our solutions to tackle issues with WiMax as well.

It's understood that while Wi-Fi as a technology was more geared for
developed environments, WiMax suits countries like India equally well, if not
better. Do you see it spawning a new breed of service providers in India,
focusing on last-mile wireless broadband?

WiMax can be highly localized and it is well suited for the Indian market,
terrain, usage and requirements. WiMax will also offer a competitive landscape
for cellular operators, ISPs and telephone operators, along with tremendous
opportunities. We can also expect a new breed of players focusing entirely on
WiMax.

Concerns are that 802.16e may not be backward compatible with the existing
standards. How are you going to address such concerns of operators?

There is a lot of maturity that needs to take place and yet as of today,
WiMax can be exploited, as there is momentum in compatibility and inter
operability.