Wireless technology makes a computer technician's life so much easier.

WITH customers growing in the communications industry, it has become almost unfeasible to connect clients economically and conveniently using conventional cable lines and fibre optic links.

But with the emergence of wireless networks service providers are able to offer cost-effective access to clients and build larger networks, creating a world without wires.

Technicians in Myanmar have hailed the recent introduction of the latest wireless technology, WiFi and WiMax, as a giant step forward for the communication service industry. They said the new technologies will become more widely used, as they have many advantages over the cabled systems clients are using.

WiFi technology allows the creation of ‘hotspots’ – wireless networks created by overlapping access points. Any electronic device that is WiFi-equipped including PCs, game consoles, cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs, can then connect to the internet when under a hotspot.

“WiFi technology uses radio waves to communicate, allowing the creation of networks indoor or outdoor networks. Restaurants, airports and libraries typically provide free internet access like this.

“It means that when a customer with a WiFi-enabled device enters a hotspot they can access the internet,” said a technician from Global Technology, a local company offering WiFi network services.

The technician said outdoor WiFi networks can also cover a wider area, such as a school compounds or building complexes.

“Universities in developed countries often provide free WiFi internet access within their school compound. In recent years, wireless internet has also been offered in the property market: Housing complexes like FMI City have inbuilt WiFi infrastructure for their residents.

“It’s great for property buyers because they don’t have to apply for separate internet access,” he said.

And customers do not need external receiver equipment for their laptops or PCs, which also encourages them to adopt the technology.

“Until recently, laptops needed small, antenna-like receivers to connect to a WiFi network. But newer laptops have built-in WiFi receivers,” he said.

Wireless networks also have space and cost advantages over fixed networks: Most of the cabling is eliminated, the network is easier to troubleshoot, and can easily be expanded.

WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is similar to WiFi in basic principles but is more advanced, covers a wider range and provides faster data transfer.

A typical WiMax system is comprised of two parts – the broadcast tower, with coverage as wide as 3000 square miles, and the receiver, which communicates with the tower using line-of-sight or non line-of-sight positions.

Myanmar Teleport, one of the country’s two internet service providers, has offered WiMax internet service since November 2007. But it’s not cheap – an initial one-year plan costs FEC1500, with an FEC60 annual fee included.

A comparative Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) connection – for someone who does not have a fibre optic telephone line – costs K5.2 million to install. Annual fees are K30,000 after the first year.

A Myanmar Teleport official said the company’s WiMax service is designed for fixed, line-of-sight access – specifically a satellite dish on the rooftop of a user’s home aimed directly at the transmission tower.

“The area covered in Yangon is a 15-kilometre arc around the towers, which covers Hlaing Tharyar in the west to South and North Dagon townships in the east,” the technician said. In the north Mingalardon and Thaketa townships are covered, while the downtown zone is covered to the south.

“It provides universal internet access just about anywhere you go in Yangon and is as painless as turning your computer on,” he added.

But the system is not without its problems as Ko Thiha Soe, who lives in South Dagon township has discovered.

He said that he began subscribing to WiMax three months ago but his connection quality had been so poor that he plans to change over to ADSL or iPSTAR as soon as possible.

Responding to this, the Myanmar Teleport technician said users from the outskirts of the city were not ideally positioned to communicate with the towers. He said this problem should be solved with the upcoming launch of a new tower.

Myanmar Teleport has two WiMax communication towers in Yangon: One at Myanmar Info-Tech in Hlaing township and Traders Hotel in Kyauktada township. The technician said the new tower would be built at Golden Hill Tower, in Bahan township.

In spite of the existing problems and low popularity with the public, the technician said that he expects wireless usage to increase because several national projects are adopting the technology.

At a seminar held at Myanmar Info-Tech last July, the Minister for Communication, Posts and Telegraphs Brigadier General Thein Zaw unveiled a plan to set up wireless networks between universities and colleges countrywide.

The recently established Yadanarbon cyber-city, in Mandalay Division, also uses wireless technology.