Project Number: FP6-IST-507554 Project Title: BROADBAND in ...

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FP6-IST-507554/JCP/R/Pub/D2.2-3.2
IEEE 802.16 addresses the "first-mile/last-mile" connection in wireless metropolitan area networks. It focuses
on the efficient use of bandwidth between 10 and 66 GHz as well as the 2 to 11 GHz region with PMP and
optional Mesh topologies. It defines a medium access control (MAC) layer that supports multiple physical layer
specifications customised for the frequency band of use.
The 10 to 66 GHz standard supports continuously varying traffic levels at many licensed frequencies (e.g., 10.5,
25, 26, 31, 38 and 39 GHz) for two-way communications. It enables interoperability among devices, so carriers
can use products from multiple vendors and warrants the availability of lower cost equipment. The draft
amendment for the 2 to 11 GHz region will support both unlicensed and licensed bands.
Broadband wireless access (BWA) transmission is via free space, and is subject to attenuation and distortion by
various matter such as vegetation, buildings, precipitation and vehicles, which move and change unpredictably.
IEEE Standard 802.16 recognizes this and includes mechanisms to make robust links for PMP BWA systems
with line-of-sight. Obstructed line-of-sight and non line-of-sight transmission are considered in the 2-11 GHz
draft amendment.
Mechanisms in the WirelessMAN MAC provide for differentiated QoS to support the different needs of
different applications. For instance, voice and video require low latency but tolerate some error rate. By contrast,
generic data applications cannot tolerate error, but latency is not critical. The standard accommodates voice,
video, and other data transmissions by using appropriate features in the MAC layer, which is more efficient than
doing so in layers of control overlaid on the MAC.
The standard also supports both frequency and time division duplexing (FDD and TDD). Frequency division
duplexing (FDD), the legacy duplexing method, has been widely deployed in cellular telephony.
The original standard IEEE 802.16-2001 supports access with the following specifications: Frequency range:
10 – 66 GHz, RF bandwidth (MHz): 28 MHz in Europe, 20, 25 MHz in USA, Range: up to some miles,
Modulation, single carrier: 32 Mbit/s QPSK, 64 Mbit/s 16 QAM, 96 Mbit/s 64 QAM.
The IEEE 802.16a-2003 standard which was approved in 2003 specifies three physical layers for services:
A single-carrier access method (SCa) for special-purpose networks which operate at frequencies between 10 and
66 GHz.
Multicarrier methods offering higher data rates and higher flexibility with respect to wireless access are
operating between 2 and 11 GHz:
• 256-carrier orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) for mainstream applications;
• OFDMA with 2048 carriers for selective multicast applications, and advanced multiplexing options.
(Further details of the specifications, see Internal Delivery IC2.1 IST-MediaNet 13 and Intel Whitepaper
“Understanding Wi-Fi and WiMAX as Metro-Access Solutions 14 )
The Task Group 802.16e will extend the standard to support subscriber stations moving at vehicular speeds and
will specify a system for combined fixed and mobile broadband wireless access. It intends to fill the gap
between very high data rates WLANs and very high mobility cellular systems. The standard will provide fixed,
nomadic, portable and, eventually, mobile wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-ofsight
with a base station. The technology will be incorporated in notebook computers and PDAs, allowing for
urban areas and cities to become “MetroZones” for portable outdoor broadband wireless access.
ETSI HIPERACCESS15 provides long range and fixed radio 25 Mbit/s connections to customer premises. It is
used in outdoor environment for residential and small to medium-sized business applications with a coverage of
up to 5 km (Point-to-Multipoint). It provides wireless access to private networks and public operators (urban and
rural). The focus is on frequency bands at 40.5 - 43.5 GHz, 31.8 - 33.4 GHz, 27.5 - 29.5 GHz, 24.5 - 26.5 GHz,
etc. The channel size is 28 MHz, Baudrate is 22.4 MBaud. FDD mode is used at fixed asymmetric rates in paired
bands, while the TDD mode is applied in unpaired bands using adaptive asymmetric rates.
ETSI HIPERMAN16 will be an interoperable broadband fixed wireless access system operating at radio
frequencies between 2 GHz and 11 GHz. The HIPERMAN standard is designed for Fixed Wireless Access
provisioning to SMEs and residences using the basic MAC (DLC and CLs) of the IEEE 802.16-2001 standard.
It has been developed in very close cooperation with IEEE 802.16, such that the HIPERMAN standard and a
subset of the IEEE 802.16a-2003 standard will interoperate seamlessly. HIPERMAN is capable of supporting
ATM, though the main focus is on IP traffic. It offers various service categories, full Quality of Service, fast
13 http://www.ist-ipmedianet.org
14 http://www.intel.com/
15 HIPERACCESS, ITU Seminar, Busan, 10 Sept. 2004 ETSI BRAN Technical Committee, Mariana Goldhamer
16 HIPERMAN, http://portal.etsi.org/bran/Summary.asp