Unlike cellular operators that enjoy a single backhaul connection
covering a larger footprint per cell tower, WiFi hotspots have smaller coverage, requiring
more hotspots to cover a comparable area. For Muni-WiFi networks, the problem is
even more acute as the number of hotspot access points per square mile is significantly
more than in the case of cellular networks. Lately, the problem of backhauling WiFi
traffic has been addressed to some extent by WiFi mesh technologies. However, it has
its own limitations, the least of which is the lack of a common standard.
WiMAX poses as a very strong candidate for providing connections to WiFI hotspots.
In particular, OFDM-PHY is much better suited to this application, primarily because,
unlike relatively conspicuously located cell towers, WiFi hotspots usually do not have
easy LOS to a central location. For example, a caf?© providing a WiFi hotspot is unlikely
to be in line-of-sight of a building with WiMAX BS. The lower bandwidth of OFDM-PHY
is not likely to be a limitation because WiFi hotspots do not usually serve real-time high
bandwidth traffic. In addition, because of a larger coverage area of the OFDM-PHY
standard, a larger number of WiFi hotspots can be covered per BS (see Figure 15.
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