Pros and cons of WiMAX and HSPA compare to ADSL

Wi-max and HSPA is the most famous wireless internet access technologies in Sri Lanka. And there is a good competition of giving these technologies to public with ADSL. These two technologies are giving different capacities and benefits to customers but both are wireless technologies. 

When we compare wimax and HSPA with ADSL both are broadband as ADSL. But there are many pros and cons in these technologies.

The pros of Wimax and HSPA

Both are wireless technologies.

We know ADSL is wired one; if we want to get access of internet through ADSL, there are essential requirements we should fulfill. First we need to have normal PSTN connection and some equipment like and modem. We can’t access it in where in specific location.

But Wi-max and HSPA are wireless, therefore we don’t need to implement equipments before getting the connection.

Wimax and HSPA can give high capacity than ADSL

If we use ADSL as our internet connection our capacity may be maximum upstream of 1Mbps and downstream of 8Mbps.

But if we use HSPA can have 7.2 Mbps and using Wimax up to 11.3 Mbps.

High coverage

ADSL is very much distance sensitive technology. In ADSL the capacity will decreased when the distance is increased from to DSLAM to subscriber. Therefore according to business purposes ISP doesn’t provide connection if the customer is more than 5 km. If they provide within this distance, they can only give download capacity of 512 kbps.

But Wi-Max can cover a distance of 50 km for fixed stations, and 5 - 15 km for mobile stations. Therefore large number of customers can be met with their requirements by using Wi Max.

And HSPA depends on mobile coverage of the provider. It is also higher than ADSL.

The Cons of Wimax and HSPA

Wi-Fi and HSPA are not reliable like ADSL.

There two technologies are wireless, there fore the signals of the wireless connection can be distort or get corrupted due to varies factors like weather, electromagnetic (EM) interference. But ADSL is more reliable than both.

Cost of connection

We know ADSL gives unlimited internet access with around $30, but when use HSPA limited package we need to pay $40 and in wimax $30 with installation cost of $60.