The Mobile WiMAX Acceleration Group, a collaboration of companies set up to demonstrate the business case for mobile WiMAX, has today announced the initial findings of the UK's first live end-to-end 2.5GHz Mobile WiMAX trials that took place in Maidstone, Kent from 2008 through 2009. Focusing on four usage scenarios; public safety, CCTV monitoring, building inspection and workforce mobility, the results are said to show that mobile WiMAX provides benefits over current technologies and processes as well as presenting new opportunities for service improvement and cost savings.
The trials, which covered 7.5 square kilometres from the centre of Maidstone, saw Mobile WiMAX deployments with Kent Fire & Rescue Service and Maidstone Borough Council.
For the public safety scenario, M-WAG worked on providing real-time video from accident scenes using Mobile WiMAX, enabling emergency services to develop better strategies for tackling situations while also saving time by delivering critical information live to teams while on their way to incidents.
The CCTV trial focused on enabling faster, more tactical deployment of mobile CCTV cameras to respond to short term needs while reducing the overall running costs. The remote building site inspection trial tested mobile WiMAX's suitability to stream high-quality real-time video of structural issues – often requiring the capture of minute details – between locations while the workforce mobility scenario looked at the potential benefits of equipping the Council's anti-social behaviour / violent crime reduction team with video recording devices for victim and witness interviews rather than still cameras and notebooks.
Chris Woodward IT Technical Services Manger, Maidstone Borough Council commented: "The trials demonstrated the flexibility that Mobile WiMAX offers. It's clear that there are specific benefits to be gained from deploying Mobile WiMAX across a range of public service scenarios and we're pleased that Maidstone played a role in providing proof of concept for the technology. We look forward to seeing how the findings and experiences help make the UK's first commercial deployment of Mobile WiMAX a reality."
Kerl Haslam, Chair of Mobile WiMAX Acceleration Group, said: "The Maidstone trials clearly demonstrate that mobile WiMAX offers considerable benefits and savings across a range of real-life scenarios. From real-time video streaming to cost effective CCTV deployments, the business case for a live network operating with real world applications has been established and we look forward to taking these results out into the market to bring on-board the necessary business partners who can create commercial mobile WiMAX networks."
M-WAG partners involved in the trial included MLL Telecom, responsible for the design, integration and management of the WiMAX network and Alvarion whose Mobile WiMAX BreezeMAX base stations were positioned in the centre of Maidstone.
The trials are said to have demonstrated a need for better applications to implement the process improvements raised for the various scenarios. M-WAG also says there is also a need for more integrated and robust handheld devices but this is understandable considering the nascent nature of the mobile WiMAX industry.