2/16/2010 -- Cisco Systems Inc. probably isn't the first name that comes to mind when you think of WiMAX. If that's the case, you'd better think again.

According to a new WiMAX customer survey from market watcher Infonetics Research, Cisco trails only Alvarion, Alcatel-Lucent and Motorola in a fractious WiMAX segment. The Infonetics sample consists of 21 service providers and includes WiMAX-only players, mobile operators, fixed line providers and others.

While Cisco didn't crack the WiMAX top three, it nonetheless received high marks from customers, who ranked it No. 1 in four of eight total categories -- including best WiMAX technology.

All told, respondents were asked to assess WiMAX mobile vendors in terms of technology, strength of roadmap, overall manageability, price/performance, overall stability, service and support, and -- of course -- product or services pricing.

"Mobile WiMAX service providers we surveyed recently gave highest ratings to Alvarion, Alcatel-Lucent and Motorola based on various criteria, such as WiMAX technology, pricing and service and support, although no one vendor was rated strong across the board," said Richard Webb, a directing analyst for Infonetics, in a statement. "Cisco and Huawei also have good ratings, suggesting they are capable of closing ground on the top three."

Even as WiMAX technology adoption continues to grow, the market itself is consolidating. The upshot, Webb continued, is that there's a lot of headroom -- which presents a golden opportunity for Cisco, Huawei and other contenders to move up in the rankings.

"As the WiMAX market consolidates to a remaining handful of vendors and becomes more competitive, the perception of different aspects of the business will come under increasing scrutiny," he concluded. --Stephen Swoyer