Date:  Thursday, June 16, 2005

Time:  7:00 to 9:00 pm
Location:  Avaya Auditorium, University of Texas Campus
Topic:  Business View of the Convergence/Integration of WiFi, WiMax, and 3G Cellular
Speaker:  Fawzi Behmann - Director of Strategic Marketing - Freescale Semiconductor
 

Abstract: 
The mobile infrastructure market is the second largest wireless communications market and arguably the most challenging. Rapid technology change (2.0/2.5G and 3G) and slow revenue growth turning to declining revenues have created a difficult environment for companies competing in this market. In contrast, Wi-Fi Wireless LAN (802.11x) is a fast emerging, widely deployed technology. Recently, WiMAX, a standards-based (802.16x) technology, has emerged as an alternative to cable and DSL in delivering last-mile wireless broadband access. WiMAX Forum-certified systems will provide fixed, nomadic, portable, and, eventually, mobile wireless broadband connectivity without direct line-of-sight with a base station. Are 3G, Wi-Fi and WiMAX competing technologies? Can they co-exist? Which technology is more cost-effective? Will a convergence take place in the future? This presentation takes a closer look at each of these technologies and compares market potentials, deployment costs, potential applications and areas of competitive threat, co-existence, and potential convergence. A summary timeline is presented to compare these three technologies and their impact on key deployments.

 

The presentation concludes with examples of efforts taken by operators to deliver what is perceived to be the best, most cost effective solution to customers.

 

Speaker Bio:

Fawzi Behmann is currently a Director of Strategic Marketing at Freescale Semiconductor. Fawzi obtained his Bacholer in Science with honors and distinction from Concordia University, Montreal in 1972 followed by a Master in Mathematics specializing in Computer Science from University of Waterloo, Canada in 1974. Later, Fawzi enrolled into Executive MBA program at Queen's University School of Business and received his MBA in 2000.

Fawzi has over 30 years of professional experience in the fields of Telecommunications, Data Communications, Semiconductor and Process Control. His first experience as a software engineer was the development of real time process control to monitor and control paper color production for pulp and paper firm. Later, he joined a global telecom service provider and led the development of monitoring, control and supervisory system to manage the company's telecom network facility and traffic for voice, data and video services. During that period, Fawzi was actively involved in international standards activities and as a part of the Canadian delegation participated in the development of ITU -TMN M3000 recommendations. Fawzi later applied gained knowledge & experience when he joined a global enterprise & carrier equipment provider and helped bringing to market products that provide convergence from circuits to ATM/Frame Relay and IP for efficiency, scalability and as enabler for advance application services. Just prior to joining Freescale Semiconductor, Fawzi was active in the definition of infrastructure requirements for content delivery and distribution. At Freescale, Fawzi is active in the networking and communications areas identifying market growth areas, understanding the landscape, dynamics, vendors value chain and market & technological trends and their impact on requirements driving potential business opportunities and differentiated solution offering and product roadmap.

Fawzi participated in several international forums including ITU-TMN, ATM Forum, IETF (IPQoS), MPLS, BCDF Content Delivery, WCA-Wireless and others. He taught Telecommunications and Elements of Computer courses at College level and published papers in the areas of Telecommunications Management Standards, Network & Service Management and IP QoS. Fawzi has recently presented a paper on convergence - WiFi, WiMAX and 3G next Gen at IEEE EIT 2005 International Conference. The paper was selected for publication.