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While WiMAX isn't exactly streaming through the air everywhere at this point, domestically it has a solid head-start on LTE. Despite that, with many major players (like Verizon and AT&T) already choosing the latter of those two, WiMAX has a tough fight ahead of it for 4G supremacy. Maybe its successor will charm the competition, WiMAX 2 -- the artist formerly known as 802.16m. That standard will boast theoretical speeds of 1Gbps for downloads,... though users are rather more likely to see something in the 100Mbps range (still a huge jump over what gets an Evo 4G user excited today). When can we expect all this bandwidth? The standard is due to be finalized in November, then hardware is expected to be ratified through 2011 before getting bolted to towers in 2012 where it will, thankfully, be fully compatible with O.G. WiMAX devices. Something good to look forward to, or too little too late to hold off the LTE hoards?

WiMAX 2 standard, and its theoretical 1Gbps downloads, to be finalized soon originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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