WiMax will become a key base technology for new telcos deploying voice and high-speed data services, while many established carriers will use it to provide faster services and to reduce costs, new research has predicted.

Analyst firm TelecomView's latest report suggested that WiMax wireless wide area network broadband will become increasingly significant over the next five years.

"We forecast that WiMax will become an important part of mobile networks," said Ian Cox, principal analyst at TelecomView and co-author of the report.

"We think that WiMax will have 16 per cent of the subscribers and account for 16 per cent of capital expenditure in high-speed mobile networks in 2011."

Bob Larribeau, principal analyst at TelecomView and co-author of the report, added: "Our business case shows that the return on investment for WiMax is significantly better than for 3G technologies.

"WiMax will put the green field operator into a superior position and will push its adoption by the existing wireless carriers in order to remain competitive and reduce costs."