In an earlier post, Unwired Fiji was praised for deploying a next-generation WiMAX network. A loyal reader forwarded me me an email sent out by Unwired that details new services that take advantage of their new network infrastructure and this news should be greeted with much less enthusiasm. Unwired would have benefitted from waiting for the July 17th announcement of the liberalisation of access to the international gateway to  go to their customers with much more attractive pricing terms.

The company has unveiled two new service offerings for business users. Axxcess is a shared solution aimed at small and medium-scale enterprises. SkyFibre is a dedicated option for larger corporate outfits.

Monthly costs for Axxcess, a setup fee of $499 also applies:

Monthly costs for SkyFibre service, a setup fee of $666.67 also applies:

Rolling out new wireless networks is not cheap and to pay for the capital costs, early subscribers will have to pay a higher price for the service, at least until the service becomes more popular and drives down prices. Still, the absurdly costly pricing for these new services makes you wonder what the people at Unwired are thinking. A 128kbps service option to business users can hardly be described as cutting-edge.

Offering these uncompetitive prices and a three-year contract term, just two months shy of a major announcement affecting Internet backhaul pricing suggests that Unwired wants to make money at the expense of customers ignorant of what upcoming changes will mean for Internet service in Fiji.

This scenario makes you wonder if ISPs will be genuine in their efforts to pass on savings from the benefits of competition on to end-users.

To answer the questions that came up about Unwired’s network coverage:

SkyFibre–Greater Suva, Lami Metroplex & surroundings, with scheduled expansion to cover Suva-Nausori Corridor, and Western areas including Coral Coast, Nadi, Namaka, Lautoka later this year.

AXXcess–Suva CBD, Flagstaff, Nabua, Centre Point, Valelevu with scheduled expansion covering the Suva-Nausori Corridor.

It will be sometime before Unwired’s network coverage expands to anything close to providing national coverage. If their deployed network was more national, then the high costs for service might be somewhat justified.

Unwired Fiji has selected Motorola to deploy its next-generation WiMAX network in Fiji. A very positive development. Coming in front of the July 17th announcement, it’s proof that operators are willing to invest in considerable upgrades that expand network coverage and increase performance.

From Communications Direct:

Motorola announced today that it has been selected by Uniwired Fiji to design and deploy an end-to-end 8012.16e-based WiMAX network to upgrade and provide increased capacity to the operator’s existing network for expansion of network coverage and capacity.

In the Philippines, The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has allowed Globe Telecom to ‘make permanent its mobile internet service for post-paid subscribers’. The company offers monthly subscriptions starting at PHP149 (USD3.1), giving ten hours of mobile internet. A low-priced introductory service option is critical for expanding Internet usage in the population.

Governments are reassessing regulations toward telecommunications as they look for investment in next-generation wireless networks. In Vietnam, significant reforms are being put in place, including provisions for foreign-ownership of network infrastructure. According to a  Telegeography update:

… the country’s draft Bill of Law on Telecommunication has been put forward for discussion at the National Assembly Steering Committee. If passed, the bill will allow private companies to build network infrastructure for the first time and will open up the telecoms market to foreign investors, as part of Vietnam’s commitment to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

In the Asia-Pacific region, there’s a great deal of activity that impacts the deployment of wireless networks and services. Again we see governments taking steps to change policies and increase investment in next-generation networks.  A nation like Vietnam opening itself up to outside investment in telecom infrastructure is a sign of how old attitudes  are making way for new pragmatism.

GigaOm reports equipment manufacturers are gearing up to battle it out over a substantial contract to deploy WIMAX networks in India:

WiMAX, despite losing attention and mindshare in the U.S., seems to be thriving across the planet. Business Standard, an Indian newspaper, reports that Huawei, Telsima and Alvarion are three of the companies shortlisted for the $1 billion WiMAX network being built by BSNL, the state-owned Indian telecom company.

via State of WiMAX: Will Huawei Win It All?.

WiMAX Facts:

• Global WiMAX subscriptions will reach more than 85 million by the end of 2013, according to In-Stat.
• According to Infonetics Research, the total WiMAX equipment and device market in the fourth quarter of 2008 was about $275 million.
• In 2008, the number of fixed and mobile WiMAX subscribers hit 3.9 million.
• Total global deployments are around 460 in more than 135 countries,  including fixed, portable and mobile networks

Sources: In-Stat, Infonetics Research, WiMAX Forum (via GigaOm)