The future of a technology is difficult to predict and to describe. Though visions about the future of broadband technologies and their applications are plentiful and range from “IBLAST” to “Optical over Air, some technologies seem to be more likely to actually develop a market and, thus, gain mass diffusion than others. The following section describes only a handful of possible broadband technologies that are currently in discussion.

Mobile WiMAX

As mentioned earlier in the chapter about Wireless Technologies, WiMAX is also developing a "mobile" standard, which is not compatible with the fixed-based solution. The "mobile" standard theoretically means that WiMAX can provide broadband wireless access in a vehicular environment. While technically this feature can be achieved, the business case for such a service offering is more challenging, and it will only have marginal impact, at best, on the growth and usage of 3G services. Publicly accessible Wi-Fi spots are already widely available, especially in highly desirable locations such as hotels, airports and college campuses. Wi-Fi hot spots are also increasingly available for free to consumers as a service differentiator from restaurants and coffee shops and as a free public service from local municipalities. Additionally, by the time the mobile version of WiMAX is available in user equipment in high volumes from a number of suppliers, advanced 3G data networks will be available.
 

3G Cellular Wireless

Next-generation cellular is providing high-speed data capabilities in addition to traditional voice. Current 2G cellular services only offer data service rates in the order of 9.6 kbps. The emerging 2.5-generation services will boost available bandwidth to the user and facilitate always-on data services. For such networks, there are two primary technologies: general packet radio service (GPRS) and enhanced data rates for GSM and TDMA (IS-136) evolution (EDGE). Third-generation (3G) wireless communication technologies support even higher data rates. The packet switching is IP-based, making for efficient routing of data from the Internet through the carrier's gateway. The higher bandwidth should allow for better integration of voice, data, and video signals. Delivery of data services over cellular offers the promise of ubiquitous high-speed data access, including while in moving vehicles.

Cordless Access Developments

As users get accustomed to the mobility offered by cellular networks, they may start to ask for the same flexibility at home and in their working environment. The massive success of DECT digital cordless telephones may be taken as an indicator for the customer’s need for mobility of voice. For data applications, at least the current perception is that such flexibility was not achievable with current wireless data products that have been available on the market until recently. The bottleneck in the past was not so much the capabilities of the network, but the capabilities of the products in this market segment. Cordless products – especially at home – are usually owned by the end-customer, and the cost of this equipment needs to be low in order to remain attractive. Therefore, trade-offs had to be made in the past in designing cordless products between capabilities and costs.  As technology matured, more and more standards are being developed and the products are available that will make it possible for cordless technologies as an extension to a fixed network to provide local mobility for data applications.[xxiii]

All aforementioned information is taken from the following resources

FCC - Wireless Broadband Access task Force

The Broadband – Wireless Association

International Engineering Consortium (For a technical description of wireless broadband technologies)

WIMAX – Opportunities and Challenges in a wireless World

Broadbandexchange.org

IK Broadband Status Report 2005

Wikipedia.org