WIMAX

BY
SHASHI JAKKU
Contents
 Introduction
 Working of WIMAX
 IEEE 802.16 standard
 802.16 Architecture
 IEEE 802.16 Specifications
 Features of WIMAX
 Advantages of WIMAX over WIFI
 WIMAX vs. 3G
 ISSUES in WIMAX vs. 3G
 FUTURE OF WIMAX
What is WIMAX?

 WIMAX stands for Worldwide Interoperability for

Microwave Access

 WiMAX refers to broadband wireless networks that are

based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, which ensures
compatibility and interoperability between broadband
wireless access equipment

 WiMAX, which will have a range of up to 31 miles, is

primarily aimed at making broadband network access
widely available without the expense of stringing wires (as
in cable-access broadband) or the distance limitations of
Digital Subscriber Line.
 A WIMAX system consists of

 A WiMAX tower, 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 - The receiver and antenna could be a
small box or Personal Computer Memory card, or they could
be built into a laptop the way WiFi access is today
WIMAX TOWER WIMAX RECEIVER
HOW WIMAX works?
WIMAX CHIPS
WiMAX Mini-PCI Reference Design Intel’s first WIMAX chip
802.16 Architecture
 P2MP Architecture
BS connected to Public Networks
BS serves Subscriber Stations (SS)
Provides SS with first mile access to Public
Networks
 Mesh Architecture
Optional architecture for WiMAX
P2MP Architecture
FEATURES OF WIMAX
 Scalability

 Quality of Service

 Range

 Coverage
Scalability
 The 802.16 standard supports flexible radio
frequency (RF) channel bandwidths.

 The standard supports hundreds or even

thousands of users within one RF channel

 As the number of subscribers grow the

spectrum can be reallocated with process of
sectoring.
Quality of Service
 Primary purpose of QoS feature is to
define transmission ordering and
scheduling on the air interface

 These features often need to work in

conjunction with mechanisms beyond
the air interface in order to provide
end to end QoS or to police the
behaviour or SS.
Requirements for QoS
 A configuration and registration function to pre
configure SS based QoS service flows and
traffic parameters
 A signalling function for dynamically
establishing QoS enabled service flows and
traffic parameters
 Utilization of MAC scheduling and QoS traffic
parameters for uplink service flows
 Utilization of QoS traffic parameters for
downlink service flows
RANGE
 Optimized for up to 50 Km
 Designed to handle many users
spread out over kilometres
 Designed to tolerate greater multi-
path delay spread (signal reflections)
up to 10.0μ seconds
 PHY and MAC designed with multi-
mile range in mind
Coverage
 Standard supports mesh network
topology

 Optimized for outdoor NLOS

performance

 Standard supports advanced antenna

techniques
BENEFITS OF WIMAX
 Speed
 Faster than broadband service
 Wireless
 Not having to lay cables reduces cost
 Easier to extend to suburban and rural areas
 Broad Coverage
 Much wider coverage than WiFi hotspots
Benefits to Service Providers
 Allow service providers to deliver high
throughput broadband based services like
VoIP, high-speed Internet and Video
 Facilitate equipment compatibility
 Reduce the capital expenditures required for
network expansion
 Provide improved performance and extended
range
Benefits to Customers
 Range of technology and service level choices
from both fixed and wireless broadband
operators
 DSL-like services at DSL prices but with
portability
 Rapidly declining fixed broadband prices
 No more DSL “installation” fees from
incumbent
Why not WIFI
 Scalability
 Relative Performance
 Quality of Service
 Range
 Coverage
 Security
Scalability
802.11 802.16a
•
Wide (20MHz) frequency •
Channel bandwidths can be
channels chosen by operator (e.g. for
sectorization)
•
1.5 MHz to 20 MHz width
channels. MAC designed for
scalability. independent of
channel bandwidth
•
MAC designed to support 10’s
of users
•
MAC designed to support
thousands of users.
RELATIVE PERFORMANCE

Channel Maximum Maximum

Bandwidth Data Rate bps/Hz

802.11 20 MHz 54 Mbps 2.7 bps/Hz

802.16a 1.5 – 20 MHz 100 Mbps 5.0 bps/Hz

Quality of Service
802.11 802.16a
•
Contention-based MAC •
Grant-request MAC
(CSMA/CA) => no guaranteed QoS

•
Standard cannot currently •
Designed to support Voice and
guarantee latency for Voice, Video Video from ground up

•
Standard does not allow for
differentiated levels of service on a
per-user basis
•
Supports differentiated service
levels: e.g. T1 for business
customers; best effort for
residential.

•
802.11e (proposed) QoS is •
Centrally-enforced QoS
prioritization only
Range
802.11 802.16a
•
Optimized for ~100 meters •
Optimized for up to 50 Km

•
No “near-far” compensation •
Designed to handle many users
spread out over kilometers

•
Designed to handle indoor multi-
path delay spread of 0.8μ seconds
•
Optimization centers around PHY
and MAC layer for 100m range
•
Designed to tolerate greater
multi-path delay spread (signal
reflections) up to 10.0μ seconds
•
PHY and MAC designed with multi-
mile range in mind
Coverage
802.11 802.16a

•
Optimized for indoor •
Optimized for outdoor NLOS
performance performance

•
Standard supports mesh network
•
No mesh topology support within topology
ratified standards
•
Standard supports advanced
antenna techniques
Security
802.11 802.16a

•
Existing standard is WPA + •
Existing standard is PKM - EAP
WEP

•
802.11i in process of addressing
security
Advantages of WiMax over 3G
 Using an assortment of proprietary
and standards-based technologies,
such as OFDM and W-CDMA ,WiMax
has a clear advantage over 3G
 The advantages include
 Higher Throughput
 Low Cost
 Lower Latency
Advantages of WiMax over 3G
Advantages of WiMax over 3G
 WiMax spectrum is more economical
than 3G.
 The price paid per Hz is as much as 1000
times lower than for 3G spectrum

 The low cost is a clear driver for service

providers to enter the field of wireless
services with WiMax
Advantages of WiMax over 3G
 WiMAX is important for mobile broadband
wireless, as it completes 3G by providing
higher performance for data with more than 1
Mbps downstream to allow connection of
laptops and PDAs

 WiMAX technology is the solution for many

types of high-bandwidth applications at the
same time across long distances and will
enable service carriers to converge the all-IP-
based network for triple-play services data,
voice, and video
Advantages of WiMax over 3G
 WiMAX interoperable solutions enable
economies of scale through integration of
standard chipsets, making WiMAX Forum
Certified products cost-effective at delivering
high-capacity broadband services at large
coverage distances in Line Of Sight and Non
Line Of Sight conditions
USES OF WIMAX
More ……
FUTURE
 WiMax will be deployed in three
stages
 In the first phase WiMaX technology (based on IEEE
802.16-2004) provides fixed wireless connections
 In the second phase WiMaX will be available as a
cheap and self-installing Subscriber Terminal (ST),
linked to PC and to antenna
 The third phase enables portability, thus WiMAX
(based on IEEE 802.16e) will be integrated into
commercial laptops
Promises
ISSUES in 3G vs. WIMAX
 Deployment of the network
 WIMAX deployment is in the planning
stages and it might take 3-5 years in
providing reasonable coverage in well
populated areas
 WiMax may initially be relegated to
college campuses and larger corporate
campuses where people are less mobile
and costs containment is important
ISSUES in 3G vs. WIMAX
 Quality of Service
 To provide quality of service by deploying WIMAX
networks and to facilitate the continuous availability
of service, careful planning is required at the edge of
the network to manage network monitoring,
availability, failover, routing etc

 This can actually be done using outsourced services

in cheap labor markets like India and China via the
public Internet
ISSUES in 3G vs. WIMAX
 Cost Issue
 The main reason to opt for WIMAX is its low cost.

 The price paid per Hz for WIMAX spectrum is as

much as 1000 times lower than for 3G spectrum

 The low cost of WIMAX spectrum compared to 3G is a

clear driver for service providers to enter the field of
wireless services with WIMAX
The WIMAX Forum
 Founded in April 2001

 No Profit organization comprised of wireless access system

manufacturers, component suppliers, software developers
and carriers

 A wireless industry consortium that supports and promotes

WiMAX’s commercial usage

 Comply with the WiMAX standard and focus on the

interoperability

 Members include Intel, AT&T, Siemens Mobile, British

Telecommunications, etc
Conclusion (The Final Issue)
 Will WIMAX replace 3G?
 Along with the forthcoming standardization, WiMAX has the
potential to substitute 3G and become a promising 4G

 WiMAX has its distinct identity as either a stand-alone

solution for incumbent and competitive fixed network
operators or as complementary radio access solution for
established 2G and 3G cellular network operators

 Fixed-line operators, on the one hand, may consider

WiMAX as a viable alternative to add mobility to the service
portfolio, leveraging their huge subscriber base, in
particular in countries where 3G licensing is delayed or not
affordable
References
 www.ewh.ieee.org/r4/chicago/Yu-WiMAX.pdf

 http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wimax.htm

 www.wimaxforum.org

 http://standards.ieee.org/catalog/olis/lanman.html
Questions?