Wi-Fi and WiMAX for Utilities: A Primer Update 2006

Published By United Telecom Council

• Published March 2006
• 25 Page(s)

As Wi-Fi technology matures, it is being joined by a heftier companion, WiMAX. Both technologies have significant possibilities for utilities, and the energy and related industries are beginning to use them for primary and backup communications applications. First released in 2003, UTC's "Wi-Fi for Utilities" research report has been updated to reflect the emerging trends and progress made to date from a utility perspective, including a look at the broader WiMAX technology and its capabilities. Specifically, the report addresses why Wi-Fi and/or WiMAX may be a suitable choice for utilities based on rapid deployment and relatively low implementation costs. While utilities have security concerns about the technologies, work is being done to address these through the concerted efforts of industry standards organizations and technical developers. Additionally, the paper serves as a primer for the utility telecom professional seeking to understand the technologies and applications better for a utility setting. Specifically, the paper covers: current and projected deployments, technological and market drivers, technology limitations, technology evolution and utility deployments. The themes of integration, mobility, low cost and interoperability emerge as excellent reasons for utilities to test the waters of WLAN and WMAN technologies. For any utility using or considering Wi-Fi or WiMAX, this paper is a must read.