WiMAX Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
IEEE 802.16 is working group number 16 of IEEE 802, specialising in point-to-point broadband wireless access. It also is known as WiMAX, an acronym that stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access.
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2 Technical Advantages 3 Expectations 4 Product Release 5 External link |
Similar Technologies
What differentiates WiMAX from earlier broadband wireless access (BWA) iterations is standardisation. Chipsets are currently custom-built for each broadband wireless access vendor, adding time and cost to the process.
Its equivalent or competitor in Europe is HIPERMAN.
WiMAX is a wireless metropolitan area network (MAN) technology that will connect IEEE 802.11(WiFi) hotspots to the Internet and provide a wireless extension to cable and DSL for last mile (last km) broadband access. IEEE 802.16 provides up to 50 km (31 miles) of linear service area range and allows users connectivity without a direct line of sight to a base station. The technology also provides shared data rates up to 70 Mbit/s, which, according to WiMAX proponents, is enough bandwidth to simultaneously support more than 60 businesses with T1-type connectivity and hundreds of homes at DSL-type connectivity.
An important aspect of the IEEE 802.16 is that it defines a MAC layer that supports multiple physical layer (PHY) specifications. This is crucial to allow equipment makers to differentiate their offerings.
A further benefit of the WiMAX standard is that it relies mainly on 2 to 11 GHz bands as opposed to the overcrowded 2.4 GHz band used by WiFi. The specifications of WiMAX avoided many of the mistakes that went into the WiFi standard, allowing longer reach, Non Line Of Sight (NLOS), greater bandwith, better encryption. The 50 Km radius should be taken with a grain of salt, it would most probably only apply to a true line of sight point to point connection under ideal atmospheric circumstances.
This is an Article on WiMAX. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About WiMAX Technical Advantages
WiMAX does not conflict with WiFi but actually complements it.Expectations
WiMAX is referred to as "WiFi on steroids". It has the potential to enable even more millions to access the Internet wirelessly, cheaply and easily. The WiMAX wireless coverage is measured in square kilometers (miles) while that of WiFi is measured in square meters (yards). A WiMAX base station would beam high-speed Internet connections to homes and businesses in a radius of up to 50 km (30 miles); these base stations will eventually cover an entire metropolitan area, making that area into a WMAN and allowing true wireless mobility within it, as opposed to hot-spot hopping required by WiFi. The proponents are hoping that the technology will eventually be used in notebook computers and PDAss. True roaming cell-like wireless broadband, however, is IEEE standard 802.20, which is compatible with WiMAX.Product Release
Products are expected to be announced second quarter of 2005.External link