WIMAX

WIMAX

…. R EAC HING T HE L AST M ILE I N

W IRELESS BROADBAND A C C ESS

PRESENTED BY

J.SANTOSH N.UTTHEJ

04B81A0479 04B81A04B0

© 9849588945 ® 040-24121022

EC E 3 rd Year EC E 3 rd Year

mailsantoshreddy@gmail.com utthej22987@yahoo.co.in

CVR

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

MANGALPALLY,

IBRAHIMPATNAM,

R.R.DIST .

ABSTRACT:

The collaboration of Internet and wireless communication has revolutionsed the way we
communicate. Wireless Internet Access is widespread throughout the world but the existing
technologies are not able to support it effectively. So, we need a technology, which gives users
uninterrupted, and unethered access to a rich variety of high-bandwidth services. The paper
describes how and why WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is the key
element in taking Wireless Broadband Access into new realms. The paper deals with WiMAX
system and the Line Of Sight and Non-Line Of Sight services. The paper deals with MAC (Media
Access C ontrol) and PHY (Physical) features of WiMAX technology and the benefits provided by
them. The paper gives an account of solutions provided by WiMAX in multiple broadband
segments. Finally the paper differentiates 802.16a and 802.11 standards.

INTRODUCTION:

Our ultimate goal is to communicate any information with anyone, at anytime, from anywhere.
This is possible through the aid of wireless technology. Wireless technology is changing and the
improving the way we work. Wireless networks now support Web browsing, e-mail, real-time
chat, and access to remote computing resources. With the increasing use of small portable
computers this energizing communications; infrastructure will enable many new Internet
applications. We need a wireless technology, which is more reliable, which has a high bandwidth,
which consumes less power, and high range of access. WiMAX is a fast emerging wide area that
shows great promise as the last mile solution for bringing high speed Internet access wireless
broad technology into homes and businesses.

WiMAX Technology:

WiMAX is short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access , and it also goes by
the IEEE name 802.16 . WiMAX is a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last
mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to wired broadband like cable and DSL. WiMAX
provides fixed, nomadic, and portable and, soon, mobile wireless broadband connectivity without
the need for direct line-of-sight with a base station. In a typical cell radius deployment of three to
ten kilometers , WiMAX Forum C ertified™ systems can be expected to deliver capacity of up to
40 Mbps per channel, for fixed and portable access applications. This is enough bandwidth to
simultaneously support hundreds of businesses with T-1 speed connectivity and thousands of
residences with DSL speed connectivity. Mobile network deployments are expected to provide up
to 15 Mbps of capacity within a typical cell radius deployment of up to three kilometers. It is
expected that WiMAX technology will be incorporated in notebook computers and PDAs by 2007,
allowing for urban areas and cities to become “metro zones” for portable outdoor broadband
wireless access.

WiMAX Systems and Services:

The operation of WiMAX is similar to WiFi but with higher speeds, large coverage area and with
maximum number of users. WiMAX will help to connect even the sub-urban and rural areas with
broadband Internet Access because phone and cable companies have not yet run the wires to
those remote locations.

A WiMAX system consists of two parts:

A WiMAX tower is the first part, similar in concept to a cell-phone tower - A single WiMAX tower
can provide coverage to a very large area -- as big as 3,000 square miles (~8,000 square km).

A WiMAX receiver is the second part- the receiver and antenna could be a small box or PC MC IA
card, or they could be built into a laptop the way WiFi access is today.

A WiMAX tower station can connect directly to the Internet using a high-bandwidth wired
connection (for example, a T3 line). It can also connect to another WiMAX tower using a line-of-
sight, microwave link. This connection to a second tower (often referred to as a backhaul ),
along with the ability of a single tower to cover up to 3,000 square miles, is what allows WiMAX to
provide coverage to remote rural areas.

WiMAX can provide two types of wireless services:

First, there is the non-line-of-sight , WiFi sort of service, where a small antenna on your
computer connects to the tower. In this mode, WiMAX uses a lower frequency range -- 2 GHz
to 11 GHz (similar to WiFi). Lower-wavelength transmissions are not as easily disrupted by
physical obstructions -- they are better able to diffract, or bend, around obstacles.

Second, there is line-of-sight service, where a fixed dish antenna points straight at the WiMAX
tower from a rooftop or pole. The line-of-sight connection is stronger and more stable, so it's able
to send a lot of data with fewer errors. Line-of-sight transmissions use higher frequencies ,
with ranges reaching a possible 66 GHz. At higher frequencies, there is less interference and lots
more bandwidth.

WiFi-style access will be limited to a 4-to-6 mile radius (perhaps 25 square miles or 65 square km
of coverage, which is similar in range to a cell-phone zone). Through the stronger line-of-sight
antennas, the WiMAX transmitting station would send data to WiMAX-enabled computers or
routers set up within the transmitter's 30-mile radius (2,800 square miles or 9,300 square km of
coverage). This is what allows WiMAX to achieve its maximum range.

WiMAX and the IEEE 802.16a PHY Layer:

The first version of the 802.16 standard released addressed Line-of-Sight (LOS) environments at
high frequency bands operating in the 10-66 GHz range, whereas the recently adopted
amendment, the 802.16a standard, is designed for systems operating in bands between 2 GHz
and 11 GHz. The significant difference between these two frequency bands lies in the ability to
support Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) operation in the lower frequencies, something that is not
possible in higher bands. C onsequently, the 802.16a amendment to the standard opened up the
opportunity for major changes to the PHY layer specifications specifically to address the needs of
the 2-11 GHz bands. This is achieved through the

introduction of three new PHY-layer specifications (a new Single C arrier PHY, a 256-point FFT
OFDM PHY, and a 2048-point FFT OFDMA PHY); major changes to the PHY layer specification as
compared to the upper frequency, as well as significant MAC -layer enhancements. Although
multiple PHYs are specified as in the 802.11 suite of standards (few recall that infrared and
frequency hopping were and are part of the base 802.11 standard), the WiMAX Forum has
determined that the first interoperable test plans and eventual certification will support the 256
point FFT OFDM PHY (which is common between 802.16a and ETSI HiperMAN), with the others to
be developed as the market requires.

Fig 1: An example of 802.16 systems.

The 802.16 PHY specifies frame duration of 0.5, 1, or 2 ms. It is divided into timeslots for
bandwidth allocation and identification of PHY transitions. A timeslot is defined by four QAM
symbols; when TDD is used, the uplink sub frame follows the downlink sub frame on the same
carrier frequency. In FDD operations, the uplink and the downlink coincide in time but use
separate transport frequencies.

Table 1: 802.16a PHY features.

FEATURE BENEFIT
256 point FFT OFDM Built in support for
waveform. addressing multipath in
outdoor LOS and NLOS
environments.
Adaptive Modulation Ensures a robust RF
and variable error link while maximizing
correction encoding per the number of
RF burst. bits/second for each
subscriber unit.
TDD and FDD Address varying
duplexing support. worldwide regulations
where one or both may
be allowed.
Designed to support Smart antennas are
smart antenna. fast becoming more
affordable, and as
these costs come down
their ability to suppress
interference and
increase system gain
will become important
to BWA deployments.

The 802.16 Media Access Control Layer:

Actually, let's begin with a definition of MAC . Media access control does exactly what its name
implies: It controls access to whatever physical transmission medium is being used by the device
that wishes to transmit. The functionality of the MAC layer typically is built into the network
adapter device and always includes a unique address (the MAC address) that identifies the
machine that houses the network adapter.

Typical MAC layer standards include C arrier Sense Multiple Access with C ollision Detection
(C SMA/C D), Token Ring, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), and Manufacturing Automation
Protocol (MAP). The MAC layer resides at layer 2 (the data link layer) of the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) model.

The 802.16 MAC protocol was designed with a number of required characteristics in mind. First, it
was created to handle the demands of point-to-multipoint broadband wireless applications. Within
that definition, it also was designed to provide very high, full-duplex (i.e., uplink and downlink)
bandwidth, with that bandwidth being capable of being parceled out across a collection of channels
with hundreds of users in each channel. Additionally, users place varying demands on the
channels they are allocated; this translates into a requirement to support traditional voice and
data services as well as packet-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other Internet
Protocol (IP) data services.

The MAC , then, must be able to handle the demands of both constant bit rate (C BR) and bursty
traffic and must support variable QoS as demanded by the user community. C onsequently, the
802.16 MAC offers variable (“definable”) service to satisfy the disparate requirements of different
traffic types. In many ways it is analogous in its functionality to ATM as well as to Guaranteed
Frame Rate (GFR) service. GFR is basically ATM Unrestricted Bit Rate (UBR) with Minimum C ell
Rate (MC R), which in effect is “UBR+.” It is a frame-based service that relies on traffic shaping
and cell loss priority control to achieve the required QoS. Because it initially was envisioned as a
fixed backhaul solution, the MAC protocol supports a range of backhaul options, including packet
based service requirements and ATM. As with ATM, a variety of convergence sub layers map
transport-specific traffic to whatever MAC is most appropriate to handle the type of traffic being
moved. These convergence sub layers rely on a number of features to ensure the achievement of
minimal QoS levels, including Payload Header Suppression, fragmentation, and packing. These
features are described in the section that follows. Although this is not about ATM, the ATM protocol
plays a significant role in the deployment of 802.16, as is detailed in IEEE 802.16.1

Table2: 802.16a MAC Features .

FEATURE
BENEFIT
TDM/TDMA Scheduled >Efficient Bandwidth
Uplink/Downlink usage.

Frames.
Scalable from 1 to >Allows cost effective
hundreds of subscriber. deployments by
supporting enough
subs to deliver a
robust business case
C onnection-oriented. >Per connection QoS.

>Faster packet routing

and forwarding.
QoS support continuous. >Low Latency for
delay sensitive
services (TDM, Voice,
and VoIP).

>Optimal transport for

VBR traffic (e.g.
video).

>Data prioritization.

QoS support continuous. >Low Latency for

delay sensitive
services (TDM, Voice,
VoIP).

>Optimal transport for

VBR traffic (e.g.
video).

>Data prioritization.
Automatic >Improves end-to-end
Retransmission request performance by hiding
(ARQ). RF layer induced
errors from upper
layer protocols.
Support for adaptive >Protects user
modulation. privacy.
Security and encryption >Protects User
(Triple DES). privacy.
Automatic Power >Enables cellular
C ontrol. deployments by
minimizing self-
interference.

Fig 2: The OSI model. The MAC is found in layer 2, in data link layer.

ATM and 802.16a:

The IEEE 802.16a ATM C onvergence Sub layer (C S) sits on top of the 802.16 Media Access
C ontrol (MAC ) C ommon Part Sub layer (C PS). The C S accepts ATM cells from the ATM layer and
delivers C S Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to the appropriate MAC -C PS service access point. The
MAC -C PS creates a MAC header, which facilitates the delivery of appropriate MAC Service Data
Units (SDUs) to its peer on the basis of QoS requirements. The C S receives and accepts ATM cells
from the ATM layer, classifies them according to performance criteria, processes them as
required, and delivers them to the correct service access point. This is illustrated in Figure3.A few
gory details must be mentioned here. First, we assume that the subscriber devices are connected
to a variety of network types and to a base station that in turn is connected to an ATM-based
backhaul facility. It also assumes that an ATM Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) is implemented
at the base station, that a User-to-Network Interface (UNI) is implemented at the subscriber
terminal, and that some form of inter working function is available if the user is connecting to an
ATM network from a non-ATM network. It also should be noted that the type of network to which a
subscriber terminal is connecting is implementation- specific and that the protocol that performs
switching and routing functions is dependent on the type of network over which it is implemented.
The ATM layer creates ATM cells and passes them on to the C onvergence Sub layer. If Payload
Header Suppression is activated, the cell headers are suppressed. Payload Header Suppression is
a technique in which repetitive portions of the payload header are suppressed by the trans-
mitting device and restored by the receiving device.

Fig 3: The ATM protocol stack, showing relationship between C onvergence Sub layer and
Segmentation and Reassembly Sub layer.

On the downlink side, the transmitting device is the ATM C S on the base station and the receiving
entity is the ATM C S on the subscriber terminal. On the uplink side, the sending entity is the ATM
C onvergence Sub layer on the SS and the receiving entity is the ATM C S on the base station. To
save additional bandwidth, multiple ATM cells from the same connection can be packed within a
single MAC PDU payload. Note also that when Payload Header Suppression is deactivated, no part
of an ATM cell header can be suppressed, including error correction. This ensures that there is an
option available for protecting the integrity of the cell header. At any rate, when suppression is
activated, the information fields in the cell headers required to reconstruct them on the other end
are mapped to the MAC PDU header or encapsulated within the MAC PDU payload.

SOLUTIONS OFFERED BY WiMAX:

To support a profitable business model, operators and service providers need to sustain a mix of
high-revenue business customers and high-volume residential subscribers. The 802.16a systems
can help meet this requirement by supporting differentiated service levels. For example, a base
station could simultaneously support more than 60 businesses with T1-level connectivity and
hundreds of homes with DSL-rate connectivity. The Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave
Access (WiMAX) Forum, an industry group with members representing equipment makers,
component suppliers and service providers, is actively promoting the adoption of IEEE 802.16a
compliant systems. The organization is helping to ensure the compatibility and interoperability of
broadband wireless access equipment. The typical cell radius of 802.16a systems is expected to
be four to six miles. This standard will help the Industry provide solutions across multiple
broadband segments:

• Broadband on-demand —The 802.16a wireless technology enables a service provider to

provision service with speed comparable to a wired solution in a matter of days and at

significantly reduced cost. It also enables instantly configurable” on demand” high-speed

connectivity for temporary events like trade shows.

• Cellular backhaul— The robust bandwidth of the 802.16 technology makes it a good choice to
carry backhaul traffic for cellular base stations in a point-to-point configuration.

• Residential broadband— Filling the gaps in cable and DSL coverage. Practical limitations
prevent cable and DSL technologies from reaching many potential broadband customers. This will
change with the launch of standards based systems based on 802.16a.

• Underserved areas— Wireless Internet technology based on IEEE 802.16 is a natural choice
for underserved rural and outlying areas with low population density.

• Best-connected wireless service— The IEEE 802.16e extension to 802.16a introduces

nomadic capabilities that will allow users to connect while roaming outside their home areas.

Differentiating factors:
• Throughput— By using a robust modulation scheme, IEEE 802.16a delivers high throughput at
long ranges with a high level of spectral efficiency that is tolerant of signal reflections. The base
station can also trade throughput for range. For example, if a robust link cannot be established
using 64QAM, changing to 16QAM can increase effective range.

• Scalability— To accommodate easy cell planning in both licensed and license-exempt spectrum
worldwide, 802.16a supports flexible channel bandwidths. If an operator is assigned 20MHz of
spectrum, that operator could divide it into two sectors of 10MHz each.

• Coverage— In addition to supporting a robust and dynamic modulation scheme, the 802.16a
standard supports technologies that increase coverage, including mesh topology and “smart
antenna” techniques.

Fig 4: The figure showing various solutions provided by 802.16a systems.

• Quality of service (QoS)— The standard includes QoS features that enable services that
require a low-latency network, such as voice and video. The 802.16a voice service can either be
VoIP or the traditional time-division multiplexed voice.

• Security— Privacy and encryption features are included in the 802.16a standard to support
secure transmissions, authentication and data encryption.

With the 802.16a standard in place, suppliers can amortize their R&D costs over higher product
volume. Also for the millions of people around the world who cannot get access to broadband
connectivity via cable or DSL, the IEEE 802.16a wireless technology will enable a “third pipe” to
connect homes, businesses, public 802.11 hot spots and communication cafes to the many
benefits of the Internet.

Differentiating the IEEE 802.16a and 802.11 Standards - WiFi versus WiMAX :

Scalability:

At the PHY layer the standard supports flexible RF channel bandwidths and reuse of these
channels (frequency reuse) as a way to increase cell capacity as the network grows. The standard
also specifies support for automatic transmit power control and channel quality measurements as
additional PHY layer tools to support cell planning/deployment and efficient spectrum use.
Operators can re-allocate spectrum through sectorization and cell splitting as the number of
subscribers grows. Also, support for multiple channel bandwidths enables equipment makers to
provide a means to address the unique government spectrum use and allocation regulations faced
by operators in diverse international markets. The IEEE 802.16a standard specifies channel sizes
ranging form 1.75MHz up to 20MHz with many options in between .

WiFi based products on the other hand require at least 20MHz for each channel (22MHz in the
2.4GHz band for 802.11b), and have specified only the license exempt bands 2.4GHz ISM, 5GHz
ISM and 5GHz UNII for operation. In the MAC layer, the C SMA/C A foundation of 802.11, basically
a wireless Ethernet protocol, scales about as well as does Ethernet. That is to say - poorly. Just as
in an Ethernet LAN, more users results in a geometric reduction of throughput, so does the
C SMA/C A MAC for WLANs. In contrast the MAC layer in the 802.16 standard has been designed to
scale from one up to 100's of users within one RF channel, a feat the 802.11 MAC was never
designed for and is incapable of supporting.

Coverage:

The BWA standard is designed for optimal performance in all types of propagation environments,
including LOS, near LOS and NLOS environments, and delivers reliable robust performance even
in cases where extreme link pathologies have been introduced. The robust OFDM waveform
supports high spectral efficiency (bits per second per Hertz) over ranges from 2 to 40 kilometers
with up to 70 Mbps in a single RF channel. Advanced topologies (mesh networks) and antenna
techniques (beam-forming, STC , antenna diversity) can be employed to improve coverage even
further. These advanced techniques can also be used to increase spectral efficiency, capacity,
reuse, and average and peak throughput per RF channel. In addition, not all OFDM is the same.
The OFDM designed for BWA has in it the ability to support longer-range transmissions and the
multi-path or reflections encountered.

In contrast, WLANs and 802.11 systems have at their core either a basic C DMA approach or use
OFDM with a much different design, and have as a requirement low power consumption limiting
the range. OFDM in the WLAN was created with the vision of the systems covering tens and
maybe a few hundreds of meters versus 802.16 which is designed for higher power and an OFDM
approach that supports deployments in the tens of kilometers.

QoS:
The 802.16a MAC relies on a Grant/Request protocol for access to the medium and it supports
differentiated service levels

(e.g., dedicated T1/E1 for business and best effort for residential). The protocol employs TDM
data streams on the DL (downlink) and TDMA on the UL (uplink), with the hooks for a centralized
scheduler to support delay-sensitive services like voice and video. By assuring collision-free data
access to the channel, the 16a MAC improves total system throughput and bandwidth efficiency,
in comparison with contention-based access techniques like the C SMA-C A protocol used in

WLANs. The 16a MAC also assures bounded delay on the data (C SMA-C A by contrast, offers no
guarantees on delay). The TDM/TDMA access technique also ensures easier support for multicast
and broadcast services.

With a C SMA/C A approach at its core, WLANs in their current implementation will never be able to
deliver the QoS of a BWA, 802.16 systems.

CONCLUSION:

Finally, 21 st century will be a wireless multimedia society, in which a combination of mobile

communications and the Internet will play an important role. Before the realization of this society,
very difficult but interesting technical challenges are waiting for us. Regardless of fixed or mobile
broadband wireless, the service offered should be affordable to all classes of the society. WiMAX
has the potential to compete on a cost-per-megabyte level with cable and DSL. The main
advantage of this model is that the whole geographic area becomes a hot zone. In WiMAX the
residential or business users can get service on demand along with the option of monthly
subscription. WiMAX is the most important of the host of wireless standards emerging from the
IEEE and 3G bodies. Its impact will owe much to WiFi, which has created the interest in and
market acceptance of wireless networking to enable WiMAX to flourish in the mainstream, not
least by attracting Intel into the sector. But its effect on the world of business and consumer
internet and wireless access will be far more profound.

Within five years, we expect WiMAX to be the dominant technology for wireless networking.

By that time it will be fully mobile as well as providing low cost fixed broadband access that

will open up regions where internet access has so far not been practical. As the cellular operators
move to IP-based fourth generation systems, they will embrace WiMAX as they are doing with the
far more limited WiFi. WiMAX will be the catalyst for a shakeout of operators, with some of the
small independents falling to the large players, still hunting for a more profitable revenue stream
than 3G.

WiMAX will become the dominant solution in C hina , the world's largest potential market for Broad
band users. The standard has already been adopted by the government and will fill in many of the
gaps in the sketchy 3G coverage. The hype around WiFi will die down and 802.11 will return to its
rightful place as a useful but limited local area technology, fully integrated with WiMAX at the
backhaul.

Intel will be a clear winner from its decision to drive WiMAX. Its next generation C entrino will
support WiMAX and therefore have a head start in huge markets, including the rural regions of
the major nations.

Nokia too will profit from the rise of 802.16, both by adding a new base station business to its
ailing equipment unit and by developing two- or three- mode handsets for cellular, WiFi and
WiMAX.

WiMAX will be the most significant technology to date in making wireless access ubiquitous and,
as more free spectrum is opened up, in creating a major shake-up of the traditional

shape of the wireless and mobile communications sector.

C ollected and C reated by youtrick.com .....