The Register reports on more delays certifying WiMax equipment. New wireless equipment has to be tested to ensure that it meets the specifications of the 802.16 standard before it can be sold.
It is just one more sign of the danger of spending too much, too fast on wireless "solutions" if you don't have a technology master plan in place. An example of this is Philadelphia's plan to cover most of the city in a WiFi blanket.
A thoughtful plan would roll this out very slowly, mainly to understand market demand, before spending millions on a technology that has several more capable competitors waiting in the wings.
What's wrong with WiFi? We have several years experience using wireless systems, and what is emerging as a wireless marketplace is NOT fixed wireless, which is what WiFi (802.11) was designed for. WiFi is a coffeeshop solution; you take your laptop somewhere, sit down, and connect to the Internet.
What people really want is mobile wireless, which has two components: true mobile connectivity, as in, "riding down the interstate while connected to the Internet." Notice I said "riding," not "driving." Hopefully, someone else is doing the driving while you are Web surfing.
The second kind of mobile wireless is the ability to connect from virtually anywhere, but not necessarily in a moving vehicle. This requires different radio spectrum than WiFi, that can travel farther and that uses fewer hotspots. As I've previously noted, cellular-based systems like EVDO and Flash-OFDM may eclipse WiMax because the products have already been tested and are in deployment.
Planning is essential if you are thinking about community investments in wireless. You need to identify who will use it, under what conditions, and how you will cover the cost of maintenance and operations. And do not take the word of vendors that their "solution" will solve all your broadband problems.