I wrote a story for Wireless Week looking at the differences between 802.16, which is backed by the WiMax Forum, and 802.20, the group spearheaded by Flarion and ArrayComm: The two initiatives have somewhat similar goals but they're using different approaches. Leaders who I spoke with in both camps were pretty defensive when I asked about how the efforts differed which made me feel like there was a big battle between the two. In some ways I think there is because companies seem to switch sides. For example, representatives from companies that are part of the 802.20 effort said that IPWireless is active in the development of 802.20. But when I called IPWireless for comment, a spokeswoman told me that IPWireless is active in the WiMax initiative, not the 802.20 activities.
Ultimately, I don't think it's a one or the other situation. Both methods may find a market. Currently, WiMax is ahead in terms of developing a standard and attracting big name backers like Intel. But the 802.20 group scored a coup when Nextel launched a trial using Flarion gear in Raleigh, N.C. An analyst I spoke with may be right when she suggests that the official 802.20 standard effort may wither away but that a de facto standard might emerge that ArrayComm and Flarion may support.