Additionally, the enormous support and backing behind WiMAX has manufacturers churning out hundreds of products to work with this technology based on IEEE 802.16 standard. Embedded WiMAX chips are much cheaper than their 3G counterparts. This will make new technology products more affordable and we will see more embedded toys and gadgets. For example, WiMAX provider Clearwire Corp. has more than 400 devices in development. Sprint Nextel Corp. is scheduled to release the first CDMA/WiMAX phone by Samsung with the Android OS in 2010. All of these devices will not only change the portfolios of equipment dealers, but also of telecom agents as the demand for WiMAX service increases.
In addition to mounting demand, agents can’t ignore the revenue opportunity WiMAX provides. This is one of the few wireless products that pays both an upfront bounty and a residual. The payout for an agent is very lucrative with WiMAX. Even if the service is added only to 5 percent of agent’s existing customer base, it can produce a healthy margin.
As an agent, you should be considering the benefits of adding WiMAX to your portfolio of offerings, that is, if you haven’t already. Here are a few tips for adding WiMAX to your pitch – it’s easier than you think.
Know where to find it. The first step to selling WiMAX is finding out if it is even available in the area in which you’re trying to peddle it. First, find out who the providers are. There is a lot of consumer advertising for WiMAX service, but not a lot of visibility into business service providers, so it might take a little bit of research. In the United States, there are more than 20 suppliers utilizing WiMAX technology spread out all over the country. A lot of providers are just doing small areas – for example, AT&T Alaska is offering WiMAX home Internet in select cities. Across the continental United States, you have fixed WiMAX provider Broad Sky Networks in about 35 markets, CLEAR and Sprint have mobile WiMAX in about 13 markets and expect to have coverage to around 80 markets by the end of 2010. If you want your own WiMAX network, CONXX Inc. designs multifunction networks that can extend WiMAX into rural America.
Once you’ve pinpointed the providers, check out their Web sites for coverage maps to make sure it’s available in your area. You can’t sell something if it’s not there, and you’re really doing yourself a disservice and the customer too, if you raise excitement about the service and then can’t provide it.