WiMAX

Author
Balapure Bhushan R.
Desle Vivek K.
Gadhe Sandip D.

Abstract – The IEEE 802.16 standard (now called WiMAX) has WiMAX provides for speeds around 70 Mbps with a range of
been proposed to provide last-mile connectivity to fixed locations 50 kilometers. The WiMAX standard has the advantage of
by radio links. Despite this original objective, we study in this allowing wireless connections between a base transceiver
paper the functional parts of a WiMAX system and its basic
station (BTS) and thousands of subscribers without requiring
operation and how WiMAX can use base stations to provide high
speed data connections that can be used for voice, data and video
that they be in a direct line of sight (LOS) with that station.
services to distances of over 30 km. We find that seamless This technology is called NLOS for non-line-of-sight. In
connection handoff can be achieved within the 802.16 standard by reality, WiMAX can only bypass small obstructions like trees
applying some of the existing functionalities defined for the or a house and cannot cross hills or large buildings. When
terminal initialization process. WiMAX protocols are designed to obstructions are present, actual throughput might be under 20
allow for point to point (PTP), point to multipoint (PMP) and Mbps.
mesh networks. In WiMAX expensive equipment are used as
various versions of smart antennas, OFDM and sometimes mesh
to provide often effective alternatives to wired communications.
Operating principle of WiMAX
I. INTRODUCTION
At the heart of WiMAX technology is the base transceiver
WiMAX is short for Worldwide Interoperability for station, a central antenna which communicates with
Microwave Access, and it also goes by the IEEE name 802.16. subscribers' antennas. The term point-multipoint link is used for
WiMAX's method of communication.
WiMAX has the potential to do to broadband Internet access
what cell phones have done to phone access. In the same way
that many people have given up their "land lines" in favor of
cell phones, WiMAX could replace cable and DSL services, The revisions of the IEEE 802.16 standard fall into two
providing universal Internet access just about anywhere you categories:
go. WiMAX will also be as painless as Wi-Fi -- turning your
computer on will automatically connect you to the closest
available WiMAX antenna. Fixed WiMAX, also called IEEE 802.16-2004, provides for a
The original WiMAX system was designed to operate at 10- fixed-line connection with an antenna mounted on a rooftop,
66 GHz and it had to change to offer broadband wireless access like a TV antenna. Fixed WiMAX operates in the 2.5 GHz and
(BWA) in the 2-11 GHz frequency range. To do this, the 3.5 GHz frequency bands, which require a license, as well as
WiMAX standard includes variants (profiles) that use different the license-free 5.8 GHz band.
combinations of radio channel types (single carrier –vs-
multicarrier), modulation types, channel coding types to
provide fixed, nomadic or portable services. Mobile WiMAX, also called IEEE 802.16e, allows mobile
WiMAX can provide multiple types of services to the same client machines to be connected to the Internet. Mobile
user with different QoS (Quality of Service) levels. For WiMAX opens the doors to mobile phone use over IP, and
example, it is possible to install a single WiMAX transceiver in even high-speed mobile services.
an office building and provide real time telephone services and
best effort Internet browsing services on the same WiMAX
TABLE 1
connection. To do this, WiMAX was designed to mix
contention based (competitive access) and contention free Standard Frequency Speed Range
(polled access) to provide services which have different quality Fixed WiMAX 2-11 GHz (3.5
75 Mbps 10 km
of service (QoS) levels. (802.16-2004) GHz in Europe)
Mobile
2-6 GHz 30 Mbps 3.5 km
WiMAX (802.16e)

Goals of WiMAX
II. HOW WIMAX WORKS
The goal of WiMAX is to provide high-speed Internet access
In practical terms, WiMAX would operate similar to Wi-Fi
in a coverage range several kilometers in radius. In theory,
but at higher speeds, over greater distances and for a greater
number of users. WiMAX could potentially erase the suburban
and rural blackout areas that currently have no broadband
Internet access because phone and cable companies have not
yet run the necessary wires to those remote locations.
A WiMAX system consists of two parts:
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 PCMCIA card, or they could be built into a laptop
the way Wi-Fi 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.
Figure 2. How WiMAX Works
What this points out is that WiMAX actually can provide
two forms of wireless service:
There is the non-line-of-sight, Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi). Lower-wavelength transmissions are
not as easily disrupted by physical obstructions -- they are
better able to diffract, or bend, around obstacles.
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.
Wi-Fi-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.
III. PROTOCOLS FOR CONNECTION HANDOFF
Handoff Objective and Mobility Management:-
As the quality of an established radio link between a
subscriber station (SS) (or terminal) and its BS deteriorates due
to mobility, the objective of handing off the connection to a
neighboring BS is to maintain the IP connectivity between the
SS and the corresponding host. A major goal is to minimize
packet loss and delay induced by the handoff process. Since the
802.16d standard defines only the physical (PHY) and MAC
layers, without loss of generality, suppose that the network
under study employs the hierarchical mobile IP (HMIP)
algorithm [GJP02] for micro-mobility management. (Similar
observations apply to other mobility management algorithms
such as [CGK02] and [RVS02].) Using the common
terminology for mobile networks, Figure 1 shows the
architecture of the HMIP for the 802.16 network under
consideration. Specifically, one router is designated the
Primary Foreign Agent (PFA) and serves as the “anchor point”
for each SS (or connection). That is data from and to a given
SS always goes through the corresponding PFA. In addition,
the PFA also keeps track of the operational parameters for the
802.16d connections associated with the SS. As shown in the
figure, the communication path consists of multiple IP tunnels
and packets are forwarded by tunneling.
Figure 6. Hierarchical Mobile IP for 802.16d Network
IV. WIMAX SYSTEM TYPES
 some of the different types of uses that WiMax
networks can provide. That is:
1) Point to Point (PTP) WiMAX Standard Differences:-
2) Point to Multipoint (PTMP)
This diagram shows that WiMax systems can be
used for point-to-point links, residential broadband This figure shows a comparison between the original Fixed
or high-speed business connections. This example WiMAX standard and the WiMAX standard that can be used
for fixed, mobile and portable. This table shows that the
shows that the point to point (PTP) connection
original 802.16 standard was released in 2004 and it was only
may be independent from all other systems or
capable of providing fixed wireless data services. It used
networks. The point to multipoint (PTMP) system
OFDM modulation and could be deployed in both TDD or
allows a radio system to provide services to
FDD formats. The 802.16e standard was released in 2005 (now
multiple users. WiMax systems can also be setup
merged into the original 802.16 standard) was designed for
as mesh networks allowing the WiMax system to
fixed, mobile and portable operation. It used OFDMA
forward packets between base stations and
modulation with TDD and optionally FDD duplexing
subscribers without having to install
capability.
communication lines between base stations.

Figure 5. WiMAX standards difference

Figure 3. WiMAX system types

V. WIMAX STANDARDS EVOLUTION

802.16 broadband wireless systems have evolved with
different standard over time.
This diagram shows that the original 802.16 specification
defined fixed broadband wireless service that operates in the
10-66 GHz frequency band. To provide wireless broadband
service in lower frequency range, the 802.16A specification
was created that operates in the 2-11 GHz frequency band. To
provide both fixed and mobile service, the 802.16E
specification was developed.
WiMAX Radio Channel Types:-
This figure shows that WiMAX radio channels can be single
carrier or multiple carriers. This diagram shows that the
bandwidth of WiMAX radio channels can vary from 1.25 MHz
to 28 MHz in steps of 1.75 MHz. This example also shows that
a WiMAX system that is using multicarrier OFDMA and how
some of the subcarriers have been assigned to a specific user.

Figure 4. WiMAX standards evolution

 Figure 7. WiMAX Radio Channel Types
VI. WiMAX OVER OTHER TECHNOLOGIES
Wi-Fi:-
The WiMAX Forum is keen to present 802.16 as
complementary to the local area IEEE standard, 802.11 or Wi-
Fi. In many ways, this is right—802.16a, as we have seen,
provides a low cost way to backhaul Wi-Fi hotspots and
WLAN points in businesses and homes, and as uptake of Wi-Fi
increases, the requirement for this backhaul will grow too.
But there is conflict too. WiMAX makes redundant the
efforts of Wi-Fi specialists to extend the reach of their favourite
technology and also places 802.11 into a far smaller role than
its supporters have, often unrealistically, carved out for it. This
is the opportunity for wireless technologies finally to grow up
and offer the speed, multimedia support and ubiquity that Wi-
Fi can never deliver.
WiMAX has the advantage of not being – at least until Intel
has a long distance Centrino – a consumer technology.
Although this has kept its profile lower than Wi-Fi’s, it has not
suffered from the over-hype and its development is freer of
vendor politics and posturing than its short distance cousin’s.
Cellular Technologies:-
WiMAX is a serious threat to 3G because of its broadband
capabilities, distance capabilities and ability to support voice
effectively with full QoS. This makes it an alternative to
cellular in a way that Wi-Fi can never be, so that while
operators are integrating Wi-Fi into their offerings with some
alacrity, looking to control both the licensed spectrum and the
unlicensed hotspots, they will have more problems
accommodating WiMAX. But as with Wi-Fi, it will be better
for them to cannibalize their own networks than let
independents do it for them, especially as economics and
performance demands force them to incorporate IP into their
systems. Handset makers such as Nokia will be banking on this
as they develop smart phones that support WiMAX as well as
3G.

The newer standard holds all the real power. By providing a Relationship With Other Wireless Technologies:-
backbone for hotspots, based on standards rather than the TABLE 2
various proprietary WLAN expansion technologies out there, it
BWA alternatives to WiMAX:-
Makes the idea of a ubiquitous wireless network to rival Not everyone is taking the WiMAX pledge though. Flarion
cellular far more realistic than it ever was with Wi-Fi alone, is the leader among OFDM-based vendors that are backing the
despite the claims of the enthusiasts. The equipment makers are metro area mobile wireless standard, 802.20 or Mobile-Fi,
eyeing it keenly – amid all the doubts about the sustainability instead.
of the hotspot boom, anything that offers them a new product IPWireless supports neither IEEE approach, but is still
line plus helps to preserve the interest in Wi-Fi is to be pushing its own mobile broadband technology, which is based
welcomed. on an IP packet data implementation of the UMTS 3G
standard, operating at over 2.5 miles in urban areas at 16Mbps
802.16 is a highly complex standard which contains, from in 5MHz and 10GMz channels.
day one, many of the features that are being retrofitted, with This technology is less powerful or long distance than
various degrees of clumsiness and baggage, into Wi-Fi, which WiMAX, though it does have the advantage, especially for
was originally conceived to be very simple and is now taking second tier mobile operators, of being similar to cellular
networks to implement and manage and providing good
Mobile- interoperability with the various flavours of 3G. Its natural
Wi-Fi: WiMAX
3G Fi home, then, is in extending the networks of the mobile carriers
802.11 802.16
802.20: in outlying regions, but it is keen to attack the hotspot sector
Max 16Mbps too, an ambition that will be hard to realize in the face of
2Mbps 54Mbps 100Mbps WiMAX.
speed
Covera Several Several However, the case that the company’s chief executive, Chris
300 feet 50 miles Gilbert, makes for IPWireless over Wi-Fi hotspots is valid for
ge miles miles
Airwav Un- all BWA technologies. He points out that users will not want to
Licensed Either Licensed
e licensed have to hunt for hotspots, and that broadband alternatives can
Range, Speed, offer not only longer distances from the base station, but also
Advant Speed, Speed,
mobility mobility mobility – as supported by IPWireless and by the mobile
ages price range
version of WiMAX, 802.16e.
Slow, Short Interferenc Another backhaul option that has gained coverage recently is
Disadv
Expensive range e issues?
High free space optical, a technology that is primarily used to extend
antages price local fiber networks but can also be used for backhaul. One
supplier specifically targeting this new direction is Omnilux.
on a burden of responsibility beyond its technological reach.
FSO is more expensive than wireless - $1,500 per node for
Omnilux, which is cheap by FSO standards – but each node
operates at 100Mbps and has routing and quality of service
capabilities plus embedded Wi-Fi. Unlikely to be mainstream,
but meshes of these nodes could also be an attractive option for
some enterprises.
And of course there is satellite. There have been several
announcements recently of combined satellite/Wi-Fi products
that bundle an 802.11 access point with the satellite system.
Satellite provides the backhaul to a fixed antenna, which then
transmits the connection locally using Wi-Fi. This is a very
expensive option of course, so mainly targeted at areas where
there is no alternative. For instance, an island in Alaska gained
a ‘satellite broadband hotspot’ last week, with Wi-Fi providing
a simpler last mile option than other fixed wireless approaches.
Another approach, entirely outside the cellular operators’
remit, is to extend the capacity of Wi-Fi. Companies such as
Vivato, Ricochet and 5G Wireless have been developing
technologies to extend the distances covered by 802.11
standards without the usual line of sight requirement –
although their future looks uncertain, given that WiMAX will
solve the problem in a year.
Companies such as 5G and Vivato do use standard IEEE
approaches and so have an advantage over some more
individualistic solutions to providing a wireless alternative to
DSL in the broadband last mile, though they cannot come close
to WiMAX’ 70Mbps or its distances.
5G has conducted a trial in its home state of California,
connecting buildings four miles apart, with no line of sight, at
sustained throughput speed of 3Mbps. It claims its technology
can achieve up to 5Mbps over eight to 10 miles. 5G claims
that such performance makes Wi-Fi a viable option for
metropolitan areas and campus-based corporations and will
look to sign up ISP, corporate or municipal authority customers
in the coming weeks.
Band speed acquired its proprietary, patent pending WWAN
technology with Wireless Think Tank last year. It operates in
the 2.4GHz and 5.3GHz ranges and uses three co-located
radios as a base, supporting 750 clients within a radius of up to
10 miles. The cost of this facility is $15,000. 5G is working on
a new configuration that will support 2,072 clients per co-
location. This compares to the cost of an alternative approach,
VPOP, used by some wireless last mile providers, which
supports 170 clients per location for $38,000.
VII. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF 802.16A
802.16 operate at up to 124Mbps in the 28MHz channel (in
10-66GHz), 802.16a at 70Mbps in lower frequency, 2-11GHz
spectrum.
Fundamental technologies in 802.16a:
OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing):-
Support for OFDM (orthogonal frequency division
multiplexing), which can continue to be implemented in
various ways by different operators (the precise variant of
OFDM can often be their key differentiator).
OFDM is well established and is incorporated in some new
generation carrier services as well as being fundamental to
digital TV. It transmits multiple signals simultaneously across
one cable or wireless transmission path, within separate
frequencies, with the orthogonal element spacing these
frequencies to avoid interference. It is also supported in the
802.11a WLAN standard.
802.16a has three PHY options: an OFDM with 256 sub-
carriers – the only option supported in Europe by the ETSI,
whose rival HiperMAN standard is likely to be subsumed into
WiMAX; OFDMA, with 2048 sub-carriers; and a single carrier
option for vendors that think they can beat multipath problems
in this mode. OFDM will almost certainly become dominant in
all wireless technologies including cellular and its industry
body, the OFDM Forum, is a founder member of WiMAX
Forum.
Support for Smart Antenna:-
Smart antenna mechanisms are one of the most important
methods of improving spectral efficiency in non-cellular
wireless networks. 802.16 standards allow vendors to support a
variety of these mechanisms, which can be a key performance
differentiator.
Smart antennas are one of the most interesting approaches to
restructuring the network in order to support more users at fast
rates, offering broadband performance and quality over a
wireless link. Smart antenna suppliers cut the number of base
stations by using multiple antennas in parallel, making highly
efficient use of the available spectrum. They can be
implemented as a more efficient technology for 3G carriers, but
can also operate as a separate network to challenge 3G.
Dynamic frequency selection in unlicensed spectrum:
Spectral Efficiency:-
This is critical to support difficult user environments with
hundreds of users per channel at high bandwidth and a mixture
of continuous and burst traffic.
Protocol Independent Core:-
WiMAX can transport IPv4, IPv6, Ethernet or ATM and
others, supporting multiple services simultaneously and with
quality of service.
Mesh:-
Mesh Mode is an optional topology for subscriber-to-
subscriber communication in non-line of sight 802.16a. It is
included in the standard to allow overlapping, ad hoc networks
in the unlicensed spectrum and extend the edges of the
WMAN’s range at low cost. Mesh support has recently been
extended into the licensed bands too.
structured channel pairs do not exist, TDD uses a single
channel for both upstream and downstream transmissions,
dynamically allocating bandwidth depending on traffic
requirements.
Security:-
802.16 also include measures for privacy and encryption:
authentication with x.509 certificates and data encryption using
DES in CBC (cipher block chaining) mode with hooks defined
for stronger algorithms like AES.

VIII. ADVANTAGES OF WiMAX

Broadband wireless access provides more capacity at lower
cost than DSL or cable for extending the fiber networks and
supporting multimedia and fast internet applications in the
enterprise or home. But it has been held back by the lack of a
Figure 1: Mesh networking standard, so that solutions have been based on proprietary,
Although it has highly complex topology and messaging, single-vendor efforts. Standardization through the IEEE 802.16
mesh is a good alternative to the usual NLOS, as it scales well specification raises the potential to:
and addresses license exempt interference. It allows a
community to be densely seeded with WiMAX connections at • Stall wired broadband and make wireless the
low cost, with robust communications as there are multiple
key platform of the future
paths for traffic to take (see diagram).
• Extend the range of Wi-Fi so that the myth of
ubiquitous wireless can become a reality.
Bandwidth on demand (frame by frame): • Provide an alternative or complement to 3G
Quality of Service:-
The ‘b’ extension to 802.16 is concerned with quality of
• Provide an economically viable
service (QoS), which enables NLOS operation without severe communications infrastructure for developing
distortion of the signal from buildings, weather and vehicles. It countries and mobile black spot regions in
also supports intelligent prioritization of different forms of developed nations
traffic according to its urgency. Mechanisms in the Wireless
MAN MAC provide for differentiated QoS to support the IX. WiMAX APPLICATIONS
different needs of different applications. For instance, voice This figure shows some of the applications that WiMAX
and video require low latency but tolerate some error rate, systems can be used for. This diagram shows that WiMAX can
while most data applications must be error-free, but can cope provide wireless broadband Internet access, telephone access
with latency. The standard accommodates these different services, television service access and mobile telephone
transmissions by using appropriate features in the MAC layer, services.
which is more efficient than doing so in layers of control
overlaid on the MAC.
Adaptive Modulation:-
Many systems in the past decade have involved fixed
modulation, offering a trade-off between higher order
modulation for high data rates, but requiring optimal links, or
more robust lower orders that will only operate at low data Figure 8. Wireless Broadband
rates. 802.16a supports adaptive modulation, balancing
different data rates and link quality and adjusting the
modulation method almost instantaneously for optimum data
transfer and to make most efficient use of bandwidth.

FDD and TDD:-

The standard also supports both frequency and time division
duplexing (FDD and TDD) to enable interoperability with Figure 9. Telephone Bypass
cellular and other wireless systems. FDD, the legacy duplexing
method, has been widely deployed in cellular telephony. It
requires two channel pairs, one for transmission and one for
reception, with some frequency separation between them to
mitigate self-interference. In regulatory environments where

Figure 10. Digital Televisions
Figure 11. Mobile Data & Cellular Bypass
In addition to higher-speed Internet access, mobile WiMAX
can be used to provide voice-over-IP services in the future. The
low-latency design of mobile WiMAX makes it possible to
deliver VoIP services effectively. VoIP technologies may also
be leveraged to provide innovative new services, such as voice
chatting, push-to-talk, and multimedia chatting.
New and existing operators may also attempt to use WiMAX
to offer differentiated personal broadband services, such as
mobile entertainment. The flexible channel bandwidths and
multiple levels of quality-of-service (QoS) support may allow
WiMAX to be used by service providers for differentiated
high-bandwidth and low-latency entertainment applications.
For example, WiMAX could be embedded into a portable
gaming device for use in a fixed and mobile environment for
interactive gaming. Other examples would be streaming audio
services delivered to MP3 players and video services delivered
to portable media players. As traditional telephone companies
move into the entertainment area with IP-TV (Internet Protocol
television), portable WiMAX could be used as a solution to
extend applications and content beyond the home.
Operators:
For mobile operators, there is a doubled edged sword.
WiMAX is particularly disruptive because no physical last mile
installation is required and the base stations will cost under
$20,000 using commodity standard hardware. As with Wi-Fi
hotspots, fixed and mobile operators will have an equal interest
in extending their networks through WiMAX, and also
ensuring that any revenues lost to 3G and wired services are at
least preserved within the company. But WiMAX also gives
the opportunity for small, lternative operators to enter the
game.
License exempt wireless ISPs will start to offer WiMAX
fixed wireless service. There are already about 1,800 such
WISPs in the US, many just focused on Wi-Fi but some
already eyeing the metro area. Before WiMAX, such operators
had to either use Wi-Fi, or turn to proprietary BWA gear to
provide features that Wi-FI lacks such as QoS.
As the FCC and equivalent authorities in other parts of the
world become more friendly to freeing up new spectrum, more
broadband WISPs will spring up, especially if the US
administration gives into pressure to open up some unused
MMDS wireless broadband spectrum. WiMAX operates in a
mixture of licensed and unlicensed spectrum, and the initial
products will be focused on 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz licensed and
5.8GHz unlicensed bands (though the full standard supports a
far wider range of bands). The licensed spectrum gives
operators the chance to apply for franchises for fixed wireless
broadband provision, especially in rural and remote areas, and
to build the infrastructure with low cost, commodity hardware -
Something Intel is promoting assiduously as a means to
increase investment in Centrino enabled PCs (it now has a
director of rural broadband access).
Figure 12: Worldwide sub-11GHz subscriber base - 802.16a and proprietary
The unlicensed aspect means that independents have the
chance to provide backhaul services for hotspots, which have
the potential to create a nationwide wireless network. If the
operators can control this, as they have been trying to do with
Wi-Fi, they will be able to offer parallel, integrated services
and achieve a stopgap as they struggle towards ubiquitous 3G –
one with lower margins than cellular perhaps, but swifter ROI
on lower upfront investment. They certainly have the power
and resource to take control from alternative network suppliers,
but they may also be condemning their 3G investments to
stillbirth. But the genie is out of the bottle now, and while the
operators hesitate, the equipment makers are driving ahead,
Intel in the vanguard, and Nokia, which has supported WiMAX
from its earliest days, looking forward to the mobile standard
and to the chance to add a new form of base station business to
its ailing networks unit.
X. SUMMARY
Although the WiMAX movement continues to focus on
mobile opportunities, it is the traditional fixed wireless market
that will remain the technology's bread and butter through
2009. The worldwide wireless broadband audience of five
million in 2005 is expected to grow by 40 percent yearly
through 2010 and WiMAX vendors will be perfectly poised to
take advantage of this building market.
 In the report "802.16/WiMAX: Assessment of Fixed and • www.google.com
Mobile Opportunities" a $3.4 billion annual opportunity for
fixed and portable broadband equipment by 2010. "WiMAX • www.wimax.com
will account for 50% of that multi-billion dollar market by the • www.wikipedia.com
end of the decade, with much activity in the 3.5 GHz band."
"The market for cable modem and digital subscriber line • www.ieee802.org
replacement is expanding today while WiMAX in the mobile
network remains 3 years to 5 years away." • www.wimaxforum.org
The mobile WiMAX community is faced with political,
technical and competitive challenges, the report finds, • www.arcchart.com
impacting time to market, which is paramount since the
802.16e specification is not yet finished. "Certified mobile 2. Referred Articles:
WiMAX equipment will arrive during or after 2007 and mobile • “Air Interface for Fixed and Mobile Broadband Wireless
carriers typically test new technologies from 12 months to 18
months before implementing them throughout the network." Access Systems,” IEEE/ P802.16e
WiMAX will still become a factor in the mobile market in • 802.16/WiMAX Report Summary by Michael Wolleben
the years to come since most operators will not commit to
additional major upgrades prior to 2009 and the standard is
gaining support. FLASH-OFDM, TD-CDMA and future
revisions of 3GPP and 3GPP2 will also play a role in both the
fixed and mobile markets. Some of these platforms, especially
FLASH-OFDM, already have considerable technical and time
to market advantages over mobile WiMAX.
The study provides global and regional forecasts for fixed
and mobile 802.16 and BWA base stations and CPE shipments
and equipment revenues as well as fixed and mobile 802.16
and BWA subscribers and service revenues through 2010.
802.16 chipset shipments and revenues are also provided
through 2010.

XI. CONCLUSION
WiMAX is the most important of the host of wireless
standards emerging from the IEEE and 3G bodies. Its impact
will owe much to Wi-Fi, 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 Wi-Fi. 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 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.

REFERENCES
1. Websites: