Projection - 27.5m Indian Wimax subscribers by 2012

Indian Wimax subscribers will reach 27.5 million by 2012, and will become a $13 billion market, according to projections from Wimax experts.

According to a report from the Wimax Forum (WF), by 2012 Indians will represent 20% of the global user base.

With the decision to auction off of the 2.5 and 3.5GHz spectrum bands for Wimax use, the Indian government has paved the way for rapid take-up of the technology, the report states.

Another reason for the predicted rapid growth is the relative lack of an established broadband market to serve as competition. There are currently just 4.5 million broadband subscribers, despite a population of 1.2 billion.  

In response to this emerging market, the WF will open an Indian certification lab in 2009.

The lab will operate out of the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, and will the WF's third such site, following from openings in Taiwan and the US.