Editing WiMAX (section)

== Terminology ==
WiMAX refers to interoperable implementations of the [[IEEE 802.16]] family of wireless-networks standards ratified by the WiMAX Forum. (Similarly, [[Wi-Fi]] refers to interoperable implementations of the [[IEEE 802.11]] Wireless LAN standards certified by the [[Wi-Fi Alliance]].) WiMAX Forum certification allows vendors to sell fixed or mobile products as WiMAX certified, thus ensuring a level of interoperability with other certified products, as long as they fit the same profile.

The original IEEE 802.16 standard (now called "Fixed WiMAX") was published in 2001.
WiMAX adopted some of its technology from [[WiBro]], a service marketed in Korea.<ref name=refs>{{cite web |title= IEEE 802.16 WirelessMAN Standard: Myths and Facts |author= Roger Marks |date= June 29, 2006 |work= Presentation at 2006 Wireless Communications Conference |location= Washington, DC |url= http://www.ieee802.org/16/docs/06/C80216-06_007r1.pdf |access-date= August 26, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110606005400/http://www.ieee802.org/16/docs/06/C80216-06_007r1.pdf |archive-date= 2011-06-06 |url-status= live }}</ref>

Mobile WiMAX (originally based on 802.16e-2005) is the revision that was deployed in many countries and is the basis for future revisions such as 802.16m-2011.

WiMAX was sometimes referred to as "Wi-Fi on steroids"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/10/17/wireless.wimax/index.html?_s=PM:TECH|title=Is 'Wi-Fi on steroids' really the next big thing?|first=Marsha|last=Walton|date=2006-03-31|work=CNN|access-date=2011-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101004171440/http://articles.cnn.com/2005-10-17/tech/wireless.wimax_1_wi-fi-georgia-s-new-media-institute-scott-shamp?_s=PM:TECH|archive-date=2010-10-04|url-status=live}}</ref> and can be used for a number of applications including broadband connections, cellular [[Backhaul (telecommunications)|backhaul]], [[Hotspot (Wi-Fi)|hotspots]], etc. It is similar to [[Long-range Wi-Fi]], but it can enable usage at much greater distances.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/fedcom59&div=8&g_sent=1&collection=journals|title=Municipal Broadband: Challenges and Perspectives|website=Heinonline.org|access-date=30 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730203210/https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals%2Ffedcom59&div=8&g_sent=1&collection=journals|archive-date=2018-07-30|url-status=live}}</ref>