Wimax standard has been approved and it has returned it its prominence. Makers don’t have an excuse any more to market terminals with this technology, but now they are wondering what to do with all the wi-fi developments. They fear that new wi-fi mobiles might not have enough time to consolidate in the market. At the end of the day, the problem is the doubt about which technology to choose: wi-fi or wimax?Information Week possed the question of whether wimax was going to win the battle against wi-fi, whose best advantage it that it is included in 90% of the PCs that are currently in the market. The truth is that wimax chips are very similart in price, so substituting one for the other shouldn’t be very difficult.In favour of wimax is the fact that there is no need to look for a hotspot, because the covering is very wide (30 Km. in the trials that are being carried out in Spain). But it is also true that several wi-fis joint by a mesh network can offer a much greater connectivity. Actually, this is what it’s being done in some cities in the U.S.A., such as Philadelphia or San Francisco.However, a great number of the analysts that have been consulted by Information Week believe that in a first phase, wi-fi will be quite successful as a formula to reduce the prices of the But then, by 2008-2009, wimax will prevail as a solider and easier to install technical solution.This a summary of the advantages of wi-fi:- It is a reality and is available nowadays- The majority of laptops are provided with wi-fi chips- No licences are requiredAnd also of wimax:- A single aerial covers very wide areas- Chips’ price is already very low (no more than 3euros)- Licences to create the infrastrucutre are already available (from Neo, Auna and Iberbanda)