The Market Opportunity for Multiple Antenna Technology for Next Generation Broadband Wireless Systems

The rapid growth of the Internet user base and of bandwidth-hungry applications in recent years has created a need for broadband wireless (BW) access for residential and business consumers. The only predictable trend is that data rates and QoS requirements will increase rapidly. This demand for high-speed wireless access/connectivity is becoming a market force for advanced wireless broadband technologies and networks. One of the major technology innovations to affect the future of broadband wireless industry is the use of multiple antennas and either end of the wireless link to provide unprecedented gains in capacity, link reliability and data rates. While the expected benefits associated with multiple antenna technology are high, there is a perceived significant cost (in terms of R&D, implementation, hardware, inertial) associated with adoption of multiple antenna technology. This paper presents the results of a study of the evolving broadband wireless industry that aimed to analyze the barriers to adoption of multiple antenna technology in shaping future wireless systems.