Good reply,
You're correct about a modem being non-professional equipment, there are some excellent PN Scanner/Decoders used in these system - Rohde & Schwarz TSMW, TSMU, TMSL, however a modem is representative of a customers experience.
SNR is not really used as Ec/No (Chip energy over noise) is more useful. The scanners mentioned supply a CINR figure - Carrier Interference Noise Ratio.

General testing is carried out with a user device modem/mobile and a Scanner as this is not controlled by network commands.

Si

There are plenty of expensive software solutions for this that are used at a professional level (ROMES, NEMO TEMS etc).
If you are after a free solution, the AT commands of most units Huewai, Option etc will give you network information,
For example: Signal as RSSi. (look under 3GPP TS 27.007) AT+CSQ? gives a number 0 (-113dBm or Less) to 31 (-51dBm or greater)

Failing that a lot of the dashboards have open APIs (in the UK Vodafones dashboard gives you access to lots of information)
Most of the Samsung mobiles have a diagnostic screen giving levels Scrambe Code and Cell IDs

For more info Siroda.co.uk or pm me

Si

I too have been testing WiMAX in the UK, for the most part its short comings are down to the high frequency (3.5GHz). With a Tx Power of 32dBm (about a 1W), its coverage is very small, but it is very easily contained.
Remember with WiMAX you have a limitation of how many users can have the top speed throughput. If someone is on the outskirts of your coverage, the site has to 'give' you more resource, so this limits everyone else.
The operators are NOT trying to make another cellular network, they will be trying to cover high density industrial units, offices etc
However, the HSPA (at least in the UK) is being offered at 7.2Mbps down and 2.1Mbps up - (only in London at the moment)