WiMAX: The Educational Broadband Services Solution

The Obama administration will spend billions of dollarsTeachers
installing new or upgrading existing wireless broadbandHall Monitors and Deans of Students
services for public schools. These provisions are inAdministrators
stark contrast to Federal Communications CommissionTechnical Applications
regulations, which will seize school WiMAX (2.5 GHzVideo
Educational Broadband Services) licenses whereDistance Learning via Video Conferencing
school districts do not comply with build outHD at 1 Mbps?: HD recording and streaming live
requirements for their licenses.anywhere, any time
This paper will make the case for WiMAX as theArchitecture
most effective wireless broadband technology forBandwidth
educational services enabling school districts to keepStandards
their 2.5 GHz licenses. In a time of economic downturnFigure 21 Field-testing for WiMAX and HD camera
in the private sector, industry players would be wellwith laptop-sized encoder
advised to "follow the money" into major public sectorCameras
initiatives related to broadband internet services inAudio Factors
education.Echo Cancellation
Major Points in Publication:The Audio Secret Sauce: Compression Algorithms and
* Educational Broadband Services licenses (2.5 GHz)"wideband"
will be forfeited by school districts and other licenseTextbooks
holders that do not build out networks by May 01, 2011Voice
* School districts holding those licenses are notSelling to school districts
protected by subletting to large commercial operatorsGauging the market
(Sprint, Clear, etc)Revenue Potential
* Understanding the education technology market (itsExtrapolating by student head count
not the same as enterprise or mobile)Estimates based on Cahners Report
* Why WiMAX is the best technology for thisWho should do this?
applicationSchools "roll your own"
* Why WiMAX is the best complement to aCarriers
one*to*one computing programWireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs)
* The "3 A's: Access, Applications and Affordability" ofWiMAX Service Providers
WiMAX in EducationHow to sell to schools
* Breakthroughs in video over WiMAX: HDTV on 1Long sales cycles
Mbps WiMAXFacilitate across departments
* "The 5% Solution": one*to*one computing andNeed to compete in RFI/RFQ/RFP processes
WiMAX for 5% of a school district's annualNeed to partner with other vendors
per*student allocationEstablish marketing intelligence database
Target AudienceAggregate, aggregate, aggregate
WiMAX vendors: This will prove to be a very lucrativeFind the money: grants, etc
niche market for those willing to focus on it and adjustGet a success story, even if you have to give it away!
their sales and marketing strategy accordinglyConclusion and Recommendations
Laptop vendors: They will sell many more laptopsRecommendations
more quickly if the laptops can be networked to theSchools and Instructional Institutions
school intranet or Internet via a low*cost WiMAXNetwork Operators and Service Providers
network.Equipment Suppliers and Systems Integrators
Computer chip vendors: 45 million public schoolList of Figures
students using WiMAX*enabled laptops will sell a lot ofFigure 1 Are networked student laptops inevitable?
chips.Figure 2 Most US schools have computer labs with
Network devices vendors: WiMAX deployments todesktop computers networked to the school's intranet
schools will sell a lot of routers, servers and othercontent and applications
devices.Figure 3 Access to a school computer lab is limited
Carriers: new technologies such as WiMAX maygeographically
disrupt their traditional business and how to "turn theFigure 4 School connectivity for a majority of schools.
retreat into a parade"For many kids, technology ends at the school house
Educators: How can the instructional yield fromFigure 5 Campus-wide wireless network access with
one*to*one computing be multiplied using WiMAX?one-to-one laptop programs extends network access
School administrators: What is WiMAX and why is itcampus-wide
so important to instruction?Figure 6 WiMAX extends the school intranet content
State/Federal/School finance professionals: providesand applications to the student home 10
strategies in paying for multi*million dollar WiMAXFigure 7 A school district-wide WiMAX network
deployments Table of Contents :connects the student to the school's intranet content
WiMAX: The Educational Broadband Services Solutionand applications
Introduction: Technology to the Kid via WiMAXFigure 8 The 3 elements that comprise a
Technology to the kid AND the classroomtelecommunications network: Access, switching and
One-to-One Computing and Federally-mandatedtransport (backhaul)
Technology LiteracyFigure 9 Wi-Fi serves a coffee shop or home. WiMAX
The School Intranet: The Value Statement forserves a city
Networked One-to-One ComputingFigure 10 WiMAX nomenclature: base station and
Converging One-to-One Computing and Schoolsubscriber station
NetworksFigure 11 WiMAX base station and antenna
Extending the School Network via Wirelesscombinations
Technology to the Kid: At school or at homeFigure 12 WiMAX access or subscriber devices
Market Drivers for the WiMAX-enabled One-to-OneFigure 13 Line of sight offers better range and
Laptopthroughput than non line of sight
Government mandatesFigure 14 Link budget illustrated
Private vs. public networksFigure 15 On campus WiMAX delivers a throughput of
The 3 A's of WiMAX-enabled One-to-One Computingmultiple megabits per second
AccessFigure 16 A WiMAX-enabled laptop can enjoy a range
Why WiMAXof one mile with throughput equal to DSL. WiMAX
Objections to WiMAXextends student access to the school's intranet
WiMAX is not Wi-Ficontent and applications to the student's home
WiMAX ComponentsFigure 17 Note populated areas of Palm Beach County,
Relationship of WiMAX Range and Throughput forFlorida (where the students live) are concentrated on
School Applicationsthe coast. Compare with figure below for school
Base Station and Student Densitylocations and WiMAX coverage
Fixed vs. Mobile WiMAXFigure 18 Placing a WiMAX base station ate each of
Why backhaul is importantPalm Beach County Schools 172 schools covers a
Wireless Backhaul Considerationsmajority of the populated area of Palm Beach County
Comparisons with FiberFigure 19 Backhaul supports WiMAX base stations,
Spectrum Considerationswhich in turn support student at home internet access
Access Conclusion32
AffordabilityFigure 20 Cover Palm Beach County, Florida at a cost
WiMAX is inexpensive relative to other technologiesof $7 million for 170,000 students = $41 per student in
What does a one-to-one WiMAX-enabled laptopone-time CAPEX or lease for $1/month/student on a
program cost?48 month lease or 5% of school district's per student
Case Study: School District of Palm Beach County,annual allocation
FloridaFigure 21 Field-testing for WiMAX and HD camera
Savings on Existing Expenditureswith laptop-sized encoder
Telecom and Textbooks (or is that "flexbooks"?Figure 22 Satellite imagery of the US at night reveals
Other Instruction-Related Expensesconcentration of population more easily served by
School assetsWiMAX
Government mandates-can a school district afford toList of Tables
NOT comply?Table 1 The progression to "one-to-one" computing
ConclusionTable 2 Comparison of Wi-Fi and WiMAX for school
Applicationsdistrict use
LiteracyTable 3 Comparison of Wi-Fi and WiMAX
NumeracyTable 4 Comparison fixed vs. mobile WiMAX
WritingTable 5 Comparisons of wireless backhaul with other
Who benefitsoptions
ParentsTable 6 Comparison of wireless vs.