March 2011
Intermediate to advanced
450 pages
18h 25m
English
Chapter 5
IEEE 802.16 and WiMAX
In recent years, advances in signal-processing technologies and increased processor speeds have allowed wireless networks to evolve into broadband Internet access technologies. The GSM system was first enhanced by the UMTS radio access network and later with the High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) standard, which allowed for wireless Internet access at speeds of several megabits per second. CDMA systems have undergone a similar evolution. Several large companies, like Intel for example, which thus far have had no major market share in equipment sales for wireless networks, have reacted in support of a new system standardization effort by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to create an alternative wireless broadband network. This effort culminated in the ratification of the 802.16-2004 standard [1]. In the press, the 802.16 standard is often referred to as WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), though this is not technically accurate as will be explained below.
This chapter aims to give a technical overview of the 802.16 standard and compares the capabilities and design of the system to other technologies like HSDPA and wireless LAN (802.11).
