I see that the WiMAX backlash is in full effect. I agree with much of the criticism and I certainly have my share of issues with the folks at the WiMAX Forum, but I think we are now witnessing a backlash bubble of sorts.

Yes, interoperability testing is behind schedule and, yes, PR hacks and reporters continue to over-promise the near-term benefits of WiMAX. But I also find that much of the criticism of WiMAX is based on a developed-market view of telecommunications. The US has a plethora of wired and wireless options and, with DSL prices continuing to fall, it is not surprising that a profitable WiMAX business model is tough to imagine in many markets.

But when you look at markets without a fixed line infrastructure, the picture changes dramatically. In these markets, cost per bit isn't near where it needs to be to drive deployments of 3G or proprietary fixed wireless networks. Wi-Fi can fill some of these gaps, but it's not carrier-ready, particularly regarding VoIP. WiMAX is technically sound and an excellent carrier technlogy for supporting VoIP. The issues behind the WiMAX Forum delays right now have to do with bickering over spectrum, scope, control, marketing -- all important stuff, but not insurmountable.

Steve Stroh writes that emerging markets need cheap wireless broadband. I believe that WiMAX will be one of the technologies that serves that need.

And back to developed markets. I also have every reason to believe that our wireless consumption will continue to escalate at a rate that will compel all carriers to look at WiMAX to share the load. But this will take time. While it is tempting to say WiMAX will fail because it's behind schedule, many people said (and continue to say) the very same thing about 3G.