The New WiFi Gels With 4G

US : A more robust standard for high-speed broadband wireless delivery to laptops and desktops will augment the burgeoning WiFi market beginning in late 2004. The position of the 802.16a standard ( see below for more details ) today parallels that of WLAN technology in the late 1990’s, when the market finally grew as 802.11 price vs. performance gains converted WLAN from a niche to mass market. In the very near future, 802.16a will also achieve important price and performance points, a new Visant Strategies study finds.

“Under the current conditions, 802.16a could emulate 802.11’s rise several years from now,” said study author Visant Strategies Senior Analyst Andy Fuertes. “Many chip and equipment vendors ignored the chance to get into the 802.11 market early and create market share due to market-size limitations created by high equipment costs, a much smaller potential audience and no need for all things Internet and Intranet yet. WiMAX ( see below for more details ) offers these technology companies a fresh start.”

802.16a is considered the next step beyond WiFi because it is optimized for broadband operation, fixed and later mobile, in the wide area network. It already includes numerous advances that are slated for introduction into the 802.11 standard, such as quality of service, enhanced security, higher data rates, and mesh and smart antenna technology allowing better utilization of the spectrum.

The study, “ 802.16/WiMAX Technologies: World Market Forecasts 2003-2008,” finds WiMAX and WiFi complementary as the two technologies address different segments of the market and are optimized for different tasks; local vs. metropolitan area networking. Last mile access will be the first application for 802.16a but mobility will follow via 802.16e. WiMAX is considered a migration path to 4G, but more likely to be used by holders of BWA spectrum rather than mobile carriers. 802.16a is also expected to play a role in outdoor and private networks, the extension of hot spots, and backhaul applications that lack line-of -sight

The opportunity for 802.16a equipment is forecast to reach a value of approximately $1 billion in 2008, the study finds, with growth accelerating late in the period. The study provides global forecasts for 802.16a/e equipment and chipset shipments and revenues as well as the technology’s penetration in the overall global BWA market.

The purpose of WiMAX is to promote deployment of broadband wireless access networks by using a global standard and certifying interoperability of products and technologies.

Principles:
WiMAX comprises of industry leaders who are committed to the open interoperability of all products used for broadband wireless access.

Support IEEE 802.16 standard

Propose and promote access profiles for ther IEEE 802.16 standard

Certify interoperability levels both in network and the cell

Achieve global acceptance

Promote use of broadband wireless access overall

Motivation:
WiMAX intends to foster a more competitive BWA marketplace by specifying minimum air-interface performance between various vendors' products and certifying products that meet those performance benchmarks

For network operators this means interoperability between equipment vendors
For equipment vendors this means fewer product variants
For component vendors this means larger series
For end-users this means faster and cheaper access whcih is more widely available

The IEEE 802.16 Air Interface Standard is truly a state-of-the-art specification for fixed broadband wireless access systems employing a point-to-multipoint (PMP) architecture. The initial version was developed with the goal of meeting the requirements of a vast array of deployment scenarios for BWA systems operating between 10 and 66 GHz. As a result, only a subset of the functionality is needed for typical deployments directed at specific markets. An amendment is almost finished to do the same for systems operating between 2 and 11 GHz. Additionally, the IEEE process stops short of providing conformance statements and test specifications. In order to ensure interoperability between vendors competing in the same market, the WiMAX technical working groups were created by the leaders in IEEE 802.16 technology. The working groups address these issues by developing system profiles and by producing PICS proforma, Test Suite Structure and Test Purposes specifications and Abstract Test Suite specifications according to the ISO/IEC 9464 series (equivalent to ITU-T x.290 series) of conformance testing standards.