WiMAX: The Innovative Broadband Wireless

Access Technology
Abdulrahman Yarali
Industrial and Engineering Technology, Murray State University, Murray, USA
Email: abdul.yarali@murraystate.edu

Saifur Rahman and Bwanga Mbula

Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Murray State University, Murray, USA
Email: Srahman@vt.edu , bwanga.mbula@murraystate.edu
Abstract—The telecommunication industry has been
through disruptive times, but data networking service
revenue has continued to rise. The telecom industry is
expected to continue to grow as demand increases for cable
and high-speed Internet in previously unserviced locations
and as local telephone companies upgrade their lines in
response to increasing competition. This paper presents an
extended overview of the Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access (WiMAX) and its applications in higher
generation wireless networks as a cost effective solution to
answering the challenges posed by the digital divide. It looks
at the digital divide and why it still persists. It also looks at
the technology behind WiMAX and networks design and
deployment factors that impact WiMAX coverage. A cell
site coverage simulation at different frequency bands is
presented. Also the paper makes a comparison of WiMAX
with two enhanced third generation (3G) technologies that Figure 1. Wireless network type and range.
are potential competitors to WiMAX. It then goes on
describe the business models in WiMAX and states some of MAN - Metropolitan Area Network (Citywide, Rural Area) LAN -
Local Area Network (Office, Home, Campus) WAN- Wide Area
the benefits and drawbacks of a mobile WiMAX network.
Network (countrywide, International)
WiMAX will boost today’s fragmented broadband
Index Terms — Broadband Access, Digital Divide,
WiMAX, 802.16 a/d, 802.16e, OFDM, MIMO, 3G and 4G. wireless access market and mobile WiMAX promises to
offer a solution to closing the existing digital divide.
I. INTRODUCTION WiMAX can address the fixed wireless access and
portable internet market, complementing other broadband
Telecommunications has grown at a tremendous rate in wireless technologies. WiMAX access can be easily
the last ten to twenty years. Improved semiconductor and integrated within both fixed and mobile architectures,
electronics manufacturing technology, and the growth of enabling operators to integrate it within a single
the internet and mobile telecommunications have been converged core network, thereby providing new
some of the factors which have fueled this growth in capabilities for a user-centric broadband world.
telecommunications. The deployment of state of the art WiMAX addresses the following needs which may
telecommunications infrastructure and services has answer the question of closing the digital divide:
however been restricted to the developed world. The least  WiMAX is cost effective
developed countries have been left in the technological  WiMAX offers high data rates
dark ages with few or none of the next generation  WiMAX supports fixed, nomadic and mobile
networks installed. Developed countries now boast high applications thereby converging the Fixed and
speed connections with a large percentage of homes Mobile networks
having access to the internet and broadband services at an  WiMAX is easy to deploy and has flexible
affordable fee. The underdeveloped countries are yet to network architectures
enjoy such facilities. This is referred to as the digital  WimAX supports interoperability with other
divide [1]. During the first World Summit on the networks
Information Society (WSIS) held in Geneva in December
 WiMAX is aimed at being the first truly a
2003, the Digital Divide was defined as the unequal
global wireless broadband network.
access to Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs), where the least developed countries are separated
WiMAX is a standard that is championed by the
from the developed countries because of a lack of
WiMAX Forum which was formed in June 2001 to
technology particularly information and communication
promote conformance to IEEE 802.16 standard. The
technology [2].
WiMAX Forum currently has more than 470 members
The digital divide has persisted due to the relatively
comprising the majority of operators, component and
high cost of putting up modern telecommunications
equipment companies in the communications ecosystem.
infrastructure. This is compounded by the fact that there
The WiMAX Forum promotes interoperability by
are a number of different services available and each
working closely with IEEE and other standards groups
service requires its own technology and network [3].
such as the European Telecommunications Standards
Therefore existing technologies such as Wireless Fidelity
Institute (ETSI) which have their own versions of
(WiFi), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Global System
broadband wireless. Along these lines, the WiMAX
for Mobile communications (GSM), Integrated Services
Forum works closely with service providers and
Digital Network (ISDN), and the relatively new 3G
regulators to ensure that WiMAX Forum Certified
technologies have not been able to provide a total
systems meet customer and government requirements.
solution to closing the digital divide. Fig. 1 illustrates the
The original WiMAX standard only catered for fixed
main network types and the prevalent technologies
and Nomadic services. It was reviewed to address full
associated with each, mapped against usage models and
mobility applications, hence, the mobile WiMAX
access modes.
standard, defined under the IEEE 802.16e specification. the IEEE 802.16 – 2004. Mobile WiMAX network
Mobile WiMAX supports full mobility, nomadic and architecture mainly has three components. These include
fixed systems to compete against Digital Subscriber Line the Access Services Network (ASN), the Core Services
(DSL) to cover isolated areas such as rural hot spots, Network (CSN) and the Application Services Network
private campus networks, and remote neighborhoods (AS). Fig. 3 illustrates the interconnection of these
Mobile WiMAX is more promising to be deployed as a networks. The WiMAX network supports the following
cellular network that offers ubiquitous broadband key functions:
services to mobile users to over large geographical areas.  All IP Access and core service networks
It can be deployed as a central office bypass to avoid  Support for fixed, nomadic and mobile access
using existing wired infrastructure for competitive local  Interoperability with existing networks via
exchange carriers and wireless internet service provider. internetworking functions
Fig. 2 shows the standard history for 802.16.  Open interfaces between ASN’s and between
the ASN and the CSN
 Support for differential quality of service
II. NETWORK ARCHITECTURE depending on the application
The Mobile WiMAX End-to-End network  Unbundling of the Access, core and application
Architecture is based on an All-IP platform, all packet service networks
technology and no circuit switch telephony.

802.16 Original fixed wireless broadband

(Dec 2001) air Interface for 10 – 66 GHz:
802.16c Line-of- sight only, Point-to
(2004) -Multi-Point applications

802.16a Extension for 2-11 GHz:

802.16 Targeted for non-line-of-
(Jan. 2003)
Amendment sight, Point-to-Multi-Point
WiMAX System applications like “last mile”
Profiles broadband access
10 - 66 GHz

802.16d Adds WiMAX System

(Oct. 2004) Profiles

802.16e MAC/PHY Enhancements to

(Dec.2005) support subscribers moving a
vehicular speeds

Figure 2. 802.16 Standard Evolution.

Figure 3. WiMAx Network Architecture [5].

The open IP architecture gives network operators great
flexibility when selecting solutions that work with legacy ASN
networks or that use the most advanced technologies, and
The ASN is the access network of WiMAX and it
in determining what functionality they want their network
provides the interface between the user and the core
to support. They can choose from a vertically integrated
service network. Mandatory functions as defined by the
vendor that provides a turnkey solution or they can pick
WiMAX forum include the following:
and choose from a dense ecosystem of best-of-breed
 Handover
players with a more narrow focus. The architecture
allows modularity and flexibility to accommodate a broad  Authentication through the proxy
range of deployment options such as small scale to large authentication, authorization and accounting
scale, urban, suburban and rural coverage, mesh (AAA) server
topologies , flat , hierarchical and their variant, and  Radio resource management
finally, co-existance of fixed , nomadic portable and  Interoperability with other ASN’s
mobile usage models [4].  Relay of functionality between CSN and MS,
Mobile WiMAX adds both the mobility and Multiple e.g. IP address allocation
Input Multiple Output (MIMO) functionalities to the
IEEE 802.16- 2004 standard. It is one of two standards Base Station (BS). The cell equipment comprises the
adopted by the WiMAX forum with the other one being basic base station equipment, radio equipment and a base
station link to the backbone network. The base station is Mobile WiMAX operates in licensed frequency bands
what actually provides the interface between the mobile in the range of 2 to 6 MHz. The technologies employed
user and the WiMAX network. The coverage radius of a by mobile WiMAX include the following:
typical base station in urban areas is around 500 to 900  Scalable Orthogonal Frequency Division
meters [6]. In rural areas the operators are planning cells Multiple Access (SOFDMA) on the physical
with a radius of 4 kilometer (Km). This is quite a realistic layer
number now and quite similar to the coverage areas of  MIMO
GSM and UMTS/HSDPA base stations today.  IP (Internet Protocol)
Deployment is driven either by the bandwidth required  Adaptive antenna systems (AAS)
to meet demand, or by the geographic coverage required  Adaptive Modulation schemes (AMS)
to cover the area. Based on the cell planning of other  Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
previous technologies, urban and suburban segments cell encryption
deployment will likely be driven by capacity. Rural
segment deployment will likely be driven by the cell A. Physical Layer
radius. Mobile WiMAX will initially operate in the 2.3 GHz,
ASN Gateway. The ASN Gateway performs 2.5 GHz, 3.3 GHz, and 3.4-3.8 GHz spectrum bands [8]
functions of connection and mobility management and using SOFDMA. OFDMA is perhaps the most
inter-service provider network boundaries through important technology associated with WiMAX.
processing of subscriber control and bearer data traffic. It SOFDMA is based on OFDMA which in turn is based on
also serves as an Extensible Authentication Protocol OFDM [9].
(EAP) authenticator for subscriber identity and acts as a OFDM is a form of Frequency Division Multiplexing,
Remote Authentication Dial in User Service (RADIUS) but it has higher spectral efficiency and resistance to
client to the operator’s AAA servers. multi path fading and path loss compare to other
B. Core Services Network multiplexing methods. It divides the allocated frequency
spectrum into sub carriers which are at right angles to
The CSN is the transport, authentication and switching each other. This reduces the possibility of cross channel
part of the network. It represents the core network in interference thereby allowing the sub – carriers to
WiMAX. It consists of the home agent (HA) and the overlap. This reduces the amount of frequency spectrum
AAA system and also contains the IP servers, gateways required, hence the high spectral efficiency. The reduced
to other networks i.e. Public Switched Telephone data rate of each stream reduces the possibility of inter
Network (PSTN), and 3G. symbol interference because there is more time between
WiMAX has five main open interfaces which include; the arrival of symbols from different paths. This feature
reference points R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 interface [7]. The of OFDM makes it resistant to multi path fading and ideal
R1 interface interconnects the subscriber to the base for non line of site applications. In OFDMA each
station in the ASN and is the air interface defined on the frequency sub – carrier is divided into sub – channels
physical layer and Medium Access Control (MAC) sub which can be accessed by multiple users hence increasing
layer. The R2 is the logical interface between the mobile the capacity of OFDM [10].
subscriber and the CSN. It is associated with Scalable OFDMA is a form of OFDMA which allows
authorization, IP host configuration management, variable channel bandwidth allocation from 1.25 MHz to
services management, and mobility management. The R3 20 MHz. SOFDMA has capabilities which make it ideal
is the interface between the ASN and CSN and supports for the implementation of IP and Hybrid Automatic
AAA, policy enforcement and mobility management Repeat Request (HARQ). WiMAX also uses other
capabilities. The R4 is an interface between two ASN’s. features to enhance the performance of OFDMA. They
It is mainly concerned with coordinating mobility of include dynamic frequency shifting, MIMO, Adaptive
Mobile Stations (MS’s) between different ASN’s. The R5 Antenna Systems (AAS) and software defined radios.
is an interface between two CSN’s and is concerned with Dynamic frequency shifting monitors the signal and
internetworking between two CSN’s. It is through this changes frequencies to avoid interference. Software
interface that activities such as roaming are carried out. defined radios are controlled by changing software
The unbundling of WiMAX divides the network based settings and this gives the equipment more flexibility
on functionality. The ASN falls under the Network when switching frequencies.
Access Provider (NAP). The NAP is a business entity MIMO is a technology that has already found use in
that provides WiMAX network access to a Network WiFi (IEEE 802.11n). MIMO multiplies the point-to-
Service Provider (NSP). The NSP is a business entity that point spectral efficiency by using multiple antennas and
provides core network services to the WiMAX network RF chains at both the BS and the MS. MIMO achieves a
and consists of the CSN. The Applications services fall multiplicative increase in throughput compared to Single
under the Applications Services Provider (ASP). Input, Single Output (SISO) architecture by carefully
coding the transmitted signal across antennas, OFDM
III. TECHNOLOGIES EMPLOYED BY WIMAX symbols, and frequency tones. These gains are achieved
at no cost in bandwidth or transmit power [11].
 AAS are spatial processing systems which combine band, on the other hand, allows independents to provide
antenna arrays with sophisticated signal processing. They backhaul services for hotspots. Typical area licensed
reduce the effects of interference from multiple signal WiMAX spectrum allocations are:
paths thereby also contributing to high capacity of the  Lower 700 MHz (US) with 2x6 MHz channels
system and the use of mobile WiMAX in NLOS  2.5 GHz Multichannel Multipoint Distribution
environments. Service with 15.5 MHz in US and 72 MHz in
B.Mac Sub Layer Canada
 3.5 GHz Wireless Local Loop with 2 x 2hMHz
The 802.16 Medium Access Control (MAC) sub layer channel blocks
uses a scheduling algorithm for which the subscriber
 5.8 GHz UNI (license exempt) with 80 MHz
station only needs to compete for initial entry into the
allocation
network. The scheduling algorithm also allows the base
WiMAX access networks are often deployed in point-
station to control QoS parameters by balancing the time-
to-multipoint cellular fashion where a single base station
slot assignments among the application needs of the
provides wireless coverage to a set of end users stations
subscriber stations.
within the coverage area. The technology behind
WiMAX supports Quality of Service (QoS)
WiMAX has been optimized to provide both large
differentiation for different types of applications. The
coverage distances of up to 30 kilometers under Line Of
802.16 standard defines the following types of services
Sight (LOS) situations and typical cell range of up to 8
[12]:
kilometers under No LOS (NLOS) [14]. In a NLOS, a
 Unsolicited Grant Services (UGS): UGS is signal reaches the receiver through reflections, scattering,
designed to support Constant Bit Rate (CBR) and diffractions. The signals arriving at the receiver
services, such as T1/E1 emulation, and Voice consists of many components from direct and indirect
over IP (VoIP) without silence suppression. paths with different delay spreads, attenuation,
 Real-Time Polling Services (rtPS): rtPS is polarizations, and stability relative to the direct path.
designed to support real-time services that WiMAX technology, solves or mitigates the problem
generate variable size data packets on a resulting from NLOS conditions by using OFDMA, Sub-
periodic basis, such as MPEG video or VoIP channelization, directional antennas, transceiver
with silence suppression. diversity, adaptive modulation, error correction and
 Non-Real-Time Polling Services (nrtPS): nrtPS power control [15]. The NLOS technology also reduces
is designed to support non-real-time services installation expenses by making the under-the-eaves
that require variable size data grant burst types Customer Premise Equipments (CPE) installation a
on a regular basis. reality and easing the difficulty of locating adequate CPE
 Best Effort (BE) Services: BE services are mounting locations.
typically provided by the Internet today for Both LOS and NLOS coverage conditions are
Web surfing. governed by propagation characteristics of their
environment, radio link budget and path loss. In both
IV. NETWORK DIMENSIONING AND DESIGN cases relays help to extend the range of the base station
There is a large range of possible scenarios for the footprint coverage allowing for a cost-efficient
deployment of mobile WiMAX, but main four categories deployment and service [16].
are [13]:
 Fixed and Mobile operator with Enhanced Data A. WiMAX Cell Site Design
for GSM Evolution (EDGE)/3G who uses One of the most important technical and business
mobile WiMAX as a complementary extension issues of any wireless technology is efficiently (cost and
for data services performance) providing coverage and capacity, while
avoiding the build-out of a large number of new base
 Mobile only operator with EDGE/3G who uses
stations. The first step in designing a wireless system is
mobile WiMAX as a complementary extension
to develop a link budget. Link budget is the loss and gain
for data services
sum of signal strength as it travels through different
 Fixed operator who uses mobile WiMAX to
components in the path between a transmitter and
compete with 3G operators for data and voice
receiver. The link budget determines the maximum cell
services
radius of each base station for a given level of reliability
 New entrant who uses mobile WiMAX to and is comprised of two types of components: system
move into mobile market – threat to incumbent related components and non-system related components
mobile operator. [17].
These components are important factors when
WiMAX operates in a mixture of licensed and evaluating the complexity and speed in deploying at
unlicensed bands. The unlicensed bands are typically the higher frequency bands, especially in unlicensed bands
2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands. Licensed spectrum provides such as 5.8 GHz (licensed in some countries such as
operators control over the usage of the band, allowing Russia). Other factors like interference from other
them to build a high-quality network. The unlicensed
surrounding networks will also impact network modulation schemes inside the cells and the probability
performance and quality of service.
20
Path loss, shadow margin, environmental effects, and
morphology are important factors when planning for an 18
700MHz
optimum coverage. The morphology and physical 16 1.5GHz
surroundings of a cell site play a very important role in 14
1.9GHz

Cell Radius, km
determining the cell footprint. A cell site footprint can 2.5GHz
12
shrink from 7km in a mostly flat area with light tree 3.5GHz
5.8GHz
densities to 3 km in a hilly terrain with moderate–to- 10

heavy tree densities [17]. 8

With adaptation of Erceg Model [18], the cell size for 6
several carrier frequencies from 450MHz to 3.5GHz is
4
estimated for WiMAX systems using path loss
propagation models for flat rural, hilly rural and urban 2

environment. Equation (1) is used to estimate total path 0

loss.
Path Loss, dB
L = A + 10 log ( d / d0) + S (1) Figure 4. Path loss vs. WiMAX cell radius

TABLE I. WIMAX CELL COUNT VS. FREQUENCY

A = 20 log ( )
Freq. Cell Link Cell Cell count
(2) Band Radius Budget(dB) radius increase
km Reduction
= a –bhb+ c/ hb (3) Operati
In these equations: L is the total path loss in dB, d0 is ng
Frequen
the close-in reference distance and d is the Transmitter-
cy
Receiver separation distance in Km, S is a random 1900 3 142
variable ,  is the wavelength of the carrier, A is Free MHz
2.5GHz 3 146 21-24% 62-75%
space path loss, hb= base station height, is path loss 3.5GHz 3 151 42-46 % 200-250%
exponent and a, b and c are constant depending on
morphology type.
of terrain coverage of 95%, the system capacity is lower
Fig. 4 illustrates a comparison of a path loss
for WiMAX systems at 450MHz frequency, due to large
simulation for a WiMAX system for different frequency
cell size. Compared with existing cellular systems,
bands. In this study, a link budget of 142 dB which
WiMAX systems implement advanced radio features that
provides a 3km cell coverage at 1900MHz has been
compensate for the extra attenuation resulting from
assumed. To obtain the same cell radius of 3km with 2.5
higher carrier frequency, larger transmission bandwidth,
GHz frequency band an additional 4dB for link budget is
and deep indoor penetration.
needed. In a coverage limited design scenario, this 4dB
corresponds to 22 percent reduction in cell coverage
footprint and almost 70 percent increase in the cell count.
Table I shows cell count calculation for 1900MHz to 3.5
GHz to illustrate the impact that path loss can have,
especially when deploying in higher frequency bands.
Fig. 5 and 6 show the results of cell count estimation in a
flat rural area for frequency operation of 450 MHz and
3.5GHz. Assuming the equal distribution of the coding

Figure 5.Cell radius for 450 MHz

Source: Jozef Stefan Institute

 capability to implement infrastructure. The WiMAX
business model can be looked from several perspectives.
These include the equipment vendors, service providers
and application providers and customers.

A. Equipment Vendors
As a standard-based technology, WiMAX enables
inter-vendor interoperability which brings lower costs,
greater flexibility and freedom, and faster innovation to
operators.
Within the WiMAX industry there is a strong
commitment to ensuring full interoperability through
certification and ad-hoc testing between vendors. It is
important for network operators to realize how
interoperability is established and what it covers so that
they understand how different products, solutions and
applications from different vendors can coexist in the
same WiMAX network.
The two categories of equipment vendors include the
Figure 6. Cell radius for 3.5 GHz
network equipment vendors and the terminal equipment
vendors. Network equipment includes ASN and CSN
Source: Jozef Stefan Institute equipment, and vendors include companies such as
Motorola and ZTE of China. They will gain their profits
The radio enhancement feature applicable to fixed and through the sale of the equipment and through installation
mobile WiMAX is subchannelisation. Other of the equipment. They may further have after sales
enhancement features that are only applicable to mobile agreements with the customers who are the service
WiMAX are convolutional turbo coding, repetition providers. Terminal equipment includes mobile phones,
coding ( 3dB gain), and Hybrid Automatic Repeat CPE, modems, laptops, smart phones and PDA’s and
Request (HARQ). they are manufactured by companies like Nokia,
Applying smart antennas or MIMO configuration in Blackberry, Motorola and Intel. They will gain their
the different topologies will enhance the cell site profits through the sale of the terminal equipment. Nokia,
coverage footprint. Cell planning options and WiMAX the world's top handset maker, expects to start selling cell
technology features also allow interference and noise phones using the WiMAX technology in 2008.
handling so that WiMAX can provide sufficient coverage
[18]. Fig. 7 shows global percentage of WiMAX B. Service Providers
deployment per frequency band. The business aspect of the service providers can also
be looked at from two perspectives. The first one is
where the service provider owns the whole system
including the core network and the access network. The
second option is the unbundled option where the access
network and core networks exist as independent business
entities.
The service providers are expected to gain profits
through the sale of the different services and applications
that WiMAX is capable of carrying. The different
services that can be offered on WiMAX networks include
best effort VoIP, carrier class IP telephony through the IP
multimedia core, music, video conferencing, streaming
video, interactive gaming, mobile instant messaging
(IM), IP Television (IPTV), basic broadband wireless
internet, and other application based services to corporate
customers. The concept of unbundling the network
Figure 7. WiMAX deployment per band.
reduces the barriers of entry into the mobile
Source: wimaxcounts.com telecommunications industry because a provider does not
need to own the whole network.
In emerging markets such as Africa, and south Asia
V. The WiMAX Business Model where telecom investment is still nascent and 3G yet to
be launched, WiMAX makes complete business sense
The biggest challenges to deploying WiMAX–based even at equal cost - better speeds, better spectrum
services are business related. Carriers need financial utilization and the promise of broadband to a much
sparsely spread population. For developed economies - cells which are small in size are required to meet the
the US for instance, the 2.3 spectrum band is believed to capacity requirements. These are the areas more
be more capex efficient and hence better than 3G and competition is expected. Rural areas are expected to have
HSUPA. More importantly, the phase in the capex cycle a lower penetration of customers, less corporate
of a telecom operator will determine each operator’ customers, and bigger cell sizes because emphasis is on
strategy - whether to embrace WiMAX or stick to its coverage rather than capacity. Individual subscribers will
existing technology. Fig 8 shows a global WiMAX use WiMAX for music downloads, interactive gaming,
deployment by region. and personal broadband internet, and will form a large
percentage the total subscribers.
C. Application Providers Corporate subscribers are also expected to contribute
WiMAX has already revolutionized the broadband to revenues of WiMAX, and their interest will be in
wireless market by standardizing broadband wireless applications and services which will enhance their
access market, by opening up new service opportunities organizations apart from the basic telecommunications
and by creating the environment for ubiquitous services.
broadband services. The aim is to provide the service that Companies are poised to compete with each other in
best fits the individual’s needs. Applications can be WiMAX network deployment, which will ensure that the
developed in house by the service providers, outsourced prices will be competitive.
from other companies or developed and sold directly to
the end user by an independent applications development
company. VI. COMPARISON WITH COMPETING TECHNOLOGIES
Applications are based on Internet Protocol (IP), and
At some point current 2G and 3G network operators
IP applications are sent back or forth via WiMAX. This
will migrate to a 4G network technology. Mobile
allows the users to develop applications independently
WiMAX is likely to face competition from third and 4G
from the underlying network infrastructure. Some
technology enhancements. They include the Code
applications will still be developed by operators but the
Division Multiple Access (CDMA) variants CDMA2000
vast majority will come from those working directly in
and Wideband-CDMA (WCDMA) and their
the internet crowd. For them and for the end users
enhancements which are 1x Evolution Data Optimized
competing wireless technologies are very beneficial.
(1xEVDO) and High Speed Downlink Packet Access
Competition spurs network roll outs, offers possibility for
(HSDPA) respectively. Unlike in the early days of the
new players in the market, and creates competition
CDMA vs. GSM competition, this higher generation
between device manufacturers. Also, new applications
competition will be quite different and fruitful since for
will be introduced more easily and much more quickly as
these new generations networks and the applications are
they are no longer forced into a tight framework that
separated and do not depend on each other. 4G networks
takes long time to develop and from which it is difficult
will go far beyond 2G and 3G by mainly improving three
to get out again.
things:
 Interface Technology: 4G standards will make
a radical change and will use OFDM [9]. The
new modulation itself will not automatically
bring an increase in speed but very much
simplifies the following two enhancements:
 Channel Bandwidth: 4G systems will use a
bandwidth of up to 20 MHz, i.e. the channel
offers four times more bandwidth than channels
of current systems. As 20 MHz channels might
not be available everywhere, most 4G systems
will be scalable, for example in steps of 1.25
MHz. It can therefore be expected that 4G
Figure 8.Global WiMAX networks. channel sizes will range from 5 to 20 MHz.
 MIMO: The idea of MIMO is to use the
Source: wimaxcount.com. APAC= Asia Pacific, CALA= Caribbean multipath phenomena. While this behavior is
and Latin America. often not desired, MIMO makes active use of it
by using several antennas at the sender and
D. WiMAX Customers receiver side, which allows the exchange of
Prospective WiMAX customers can be grouped either multiple data streams, each over a single
geographically or by the level or volume of services. individual wave front. Two or even four
Geographical categories range from urban to rural antennas are foreseen to be used in a device.
customers, while categories according to size include How well this works is still to be determined in
individual customers and the corporate customers. Urban practice but it is likely that MIMO can increase
areas offer the highest density of customers with more
business establishments. In such cases a higher number of
 throughput by a factor of two in urban 
Uplink (UL) : Support of HARQ, AMC,
environments. Higher peak rates of 1.8 Mbps, and Smaller
Increasing channel size and using MIMO will increase frame size
throughput by about 8-10 times. Thus speeds of 40 These enhancements in both the UL and DL of 1xEV-
MBit/s per sector of a cell are thus possible. Using a DO Rev.A allow it to support conversational services.
commonly accepted evaluation methodology for 3G
systems, Mobile WiMAX has been simulated against the B. HSDPA/HSPA
3G enhancements [19]. These simulations have shown The WCDMA specification was enhanced to create the
that: High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and then
 Mobile WiMAX peak data rates are up to 5x High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) specifications. The
better than 3G+ technologies and enhancements in HSDPA include, AMC, Multi-code
 Mobile WiMAX spectral efficiency is 3x better operation, HARQ, Higher DL peak rates (up to 14 Mbps),
than any 3G+ technology and De-centralized architecture where scheduling
 Lower equipment cost for WiMAX due to functions are moved from the Radio Network Controller
certified products (compare with WiFi) (RNC) to Node-B thus reducing latency and enabling fast
 WiMAX require new infrastructure while scheduling.
HSPA rides on UMTS HSPA adds enhancement to the uplink of the WCDMA
specifications. In reference [9] a quantitative comparison
 Roughly the same coverage (average ~5 km)
of Mobile WiMAX, 1xEVDO and HSPA system
 Roughly the same performance (average ~2
performance, was conducted based on the commonly
Mb/s per user)
accepted 1xEV-DV evaluation criterion. The Mobile
 HSDPA launches in 2006 while HSUPA will WiMAX system configuration was based on the WiMAX
come in 2008 Forum baseline minimum configuration. Table II
 WiMAX standard set end of 2005 and first illustrates a Comparison of Mobile WiMAX with 3G
products in 2006 enhancements [20].
 HSPA has a higher acceptance with mobile These technologies i.e. EVDO, HSPDA and Mobile
operator WiMAX have several performance enhancing features in
A. 1xEVDO common as follows [21]:
This standard is developed by the Third Generation  AMC
Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2), the body responsible for  HARQ
CDMA and EVDO. 1xEV-DO is an enhanced version of  Fast Scheduling
CDMA2000-1x. There are four versions that have been  Bandwidth Efficient Handoff
released; namely Rev. 0, Rev. A, Rev. B and Rev C.
1xEV-DO is a high-speed data only specification for
1.25 MHz Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) channels
TABLE II. COMPARISON OF MOBILE WIMAX WITH 3G
with a peak Downlink (DL) data rate of 2.4 Mbps. ENHANCEMENTS
Improvements to CDMA2000 – 1x in the 1xEV-DO 3xEVDO
Parameter
Rev.0 specification include [9]: 1xEVDO
Rev. A
Rev. B HSDPA HSUPA Mobile
WiMAX
 Downlink channel is changed from Code
Division Multiplex (CDM) to Time Division Duplex FDD FDD FDD FDD TDD
Occupied spectrum 2.5 10 10 10 10
Multiplex (TDM) to allow full transmission (MHz)
power to a single user. Channel DL 1.25 5 5 5 DL/UL
bandwidth UL 1.25 5 5 5 =3
 Downlink power control is replaced by closed (MHz)
loop downlink rate adaptation. Spectral DL 0.85 0.93 0.78 0.78 1.91
 Adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) Efficiency UL 0.36 0.28 0.14 0.30 0.84
Net DL 1.06 4.65 3.91 3.91 14.1
 HARQ Information
 Fast downlink scheduling Throughput
per UL 0.45 1.39 0.7 1.50 2.20
 Soft handoff is replaced by a more bandwidth channel/Sect
efficient “virtual” soft handoff or (Mbps)

1xEV-DO-Rev 0 however, was designed to support

only packet data services and not conversational services. C. WiFi
In 1xEVDO-Rev A, and EVDO Rev C (also dubbed
DORC) additional enhancements were added to the WiMAX is different from WiFi in many respects. The
1xEV-DO specification. They include the following [8]: WiFi MAC layer uses contention access. This causes
 Downlink: Smaller packet sizes, Higher DL users to compete for data throughput to the access point.
peak data rate (up to 3.1 Mbps), and WiFi also has problems with distance, interference, and
Multiplexing packets from multiple users in the throughput and that is why triple play (voice, data, video)
MAC layer. technologies cannot be hosted on traditional WiFi. In
contrast 802.16 uses a scheduling algorithm. This
algorithm allows the user to only compete once for the
access point. This gives WiMAX inherent advantages in VOIP & IP
throughput, latency, spectral efficiency, and advanced Mobile WiMAX is an all IP network. The use of
antenna support. OFDMA on the physical layer makes it capable of
Companies developing radical innovations may adopt supporting IP applications. It is a wireless solution that
different stances; not only based on the strategic interests
of the company but also they taking into other TABLE III. SUMMARY OF WIMAX APPLICATIONS
considerations such as the market and its needs and CLASS REAL APPLICATION BANDWIDTH
requirements, as well as other products it may carry. DESCRIPTION TIME TYPE
When comparing WiFi and WiMAX, one is comparing Interactive Gaming Yes Interactive 50-85 Kbps
their substitutability and complementary to existing Gaming
technologies and how different companies have and will VoIP, Video Yes VoIP 4-64 Kbps
Conferencing
view them. WiMAX and WiFi can offer some potentially Videophone 32-384 Kbps
significant cost savings for mobile network operators by Streaming Media Yes Music/Speech 5-128 Kbps
providing an alternate means to backhaul base station Video clips 20 – 384 Kbps
traffic from cell site to the base station controllers. Movies > 2 Mbps
streaming
Mobile network operators typically utilize some type of Information No Instant < 250 byte
wired infrastructure that they must buy from an Technology Messaging messages
incumbent operator. A WiFi or WiMAX mesh can offer Web browsing > 500 Kbps
a much more cost-effective backhaul capability for base Email (with > 500 Kbps
stations in metropolitan environments. attachments)
Media Content No Bulk data, > 1 Mbps
Using Wi-Fi and WiMAX open broadband wireless download (store and Movie
standards and implementing mobile computing, forward) download
governments and partners can quickly and cost- Peer to Peer > 500 Kbps
effectively deploy broadband to areas not currently
served, with little or no disruption to existing not only offers competitive internet access, but it can do
infrastructures. Standards-compliant WLANs and the same for telephone service.
proprietary Wi-Fi mesh infrastructures are being installed Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) offers a wider
rapidly and widely throughout the world. Standards- range of voice services at reduced cost to subscribers and
compliant WiMAX products can provide non-line-of- service providers alike .VoIP is expected to be one of the
sight (NLoS) backhaul solutions for these local networks most popular WiMAX applications. Its value proposition
and WiMAX subscriber stations can currently provide is immediate to most users. While WiMAX is not
Internet access to customers such as schools and other designed for switched cellular voice traffic as cellular
educational institutions and campuses. technologies as are CDMA and WCDMA, it will provide
The results of the comparison show that mobile full support for VoIP traffic because of QoS functionality
WiMAX has better performance in all the areas listed and low latency. IPTV enables a WiMAX service
above (where it shares performance enhancing features provider to offer the same programming as cable or
with EVDO and HSDPA/HSPA). Furthermore, the satellite TV service providers. IPTV, depending on
technologies on which mobile WiMAX is based result in compression algorithms [23], requires at least 1 Mbps of
lower equipment complexity and simpler mobility bandwidth between the WiMAX base station and the
management due to the all-IP core network. They also subscriber. In addition to IPTV programming, the service
provide Mobile WiMAX systems with many other provider can also offer a variety of video on demand
advantages over CDMA based systems such as: (VoD) services. IPTV over WiMAX also enables the
 Tolerance to Multipath and Self-Interference service provider to offer local programming as well as
 Scalable Channel Bandwidth revenue generating local advertising.
 Orthogonal Uplink Multiple Access
 Support for Spectrally-Efficient TDD VIII. BENEFITS OF WIMAX
 Frequency-Selective Scheduling Wireless. By using a WiMAX system,
 Fractional Frequency Reuse companies/ residents no longer have to rip up buildings
 Improved variable Quality of Service (QoS) or streets or lay down expensive cables.
 Advanced Antenna Technology High Bandwidth. WiMAX can provide shared data
rates of up to 70 Mb/s. this is enough bandwidth to
VII. APPLICATIONS support more than 60 businesses at once with T1-type
connectivity. It can also support over a thousand homes at
The WiMAX standard has been developed to address a
1 Mb/s DSL-level connectivity Also, there will be a
wide range of applications. Based on its technical
reduction in latency for all WiMAX communications.
attributes and service classes, WiMAX is suited to
Long Range. The most significant benefit of WiMAX
supporting a large number of usage scenarios. Table III
compared to existing wireless technologies is the range.
address a wide range of applications [22].
WiMAX has a communication range of up to 40 Km[24].
Multi-Application. WiMAX uses the Internet protocol
and is therefore capable of efficiently supporting all
multimedia services from VoIP to high speed internet and an obvious advantage today, and by the time it reaches
video transmission. It also supports a differentiated widespread use, large operators will find WiMAX to be a
quality of service enabling it offer dynamic bandwidth very attractive new way of raising revenues.
allocation for different service types. WiMAX has the Research and Development. For WiMAX to
capacity to deliver services from households to small and succeed, new products must be researched and developed
medium enterprises, small office, home office (SOHO), to incorporate WiMAX. Without the help of major
Cybercafés, Multimedia Tele-centers, Schools and companies investing in this R&D, WiMAX could be
Hospitals. gravely underutilized.
Flexible Architecture. WiMAX supports several
systems architectures, including Point-to-Point, Point-to-
multipoint, and ubiquitous coverage. X. CONCLUSION
High Security. The security of WiMAX is state of the
The combination of both advanced radio features and
art. WiMAX supports advanced encryption standard
flexible end-to-end architecture makes WiMAX attractive
triple data encryption standard. WiMAX also has built-in
solution for diverse operators. It provides many different
VLAN support, which provides protection for data that is
services on one network, services which required
being transmitted by different users on the same base
different networks in the past. It also provides
station. Both variants use Privacy Key Management
convergence of fixed and mobile networks. It provides
(PKM) for authentication between base station and
high speed access to the subscriber at a reasonable cost,
subscriber station. WiMAX offers strong security
thereby enabling the service provider to make a profit
measures to thwart a wide variety of security threats.
from the technology, using economies of scale. It offers
QoS. WiMAX can be dynamically optimized for a mix
the advantage of reduced total cost of ownership during
of traffic that is being carried.
the lifetime of a network deployment.
Multi Level Service. QoS is delivered generally
We compared WiMAX with other 3G technologies.
based on the service level agreement between the end
While it is clear that WCDMA has the advantage when
user and the service provider.
referring to voice and soft handoff of voice, these
Interoperability. WiMAX is based on international,
advantages disappear for data-centric applications. There
vendor-neutral standard. This protects the early
are some additional advantages of WCDMA in
investment of an operator since it can select the
equipment performances; however, these advantages are
equipments from different vendors.
not sufficient to overcome the advantages of OFDMA.
Low Cost and Quick deployment. WiMAX requires
As data traffic continues to grow, there will be an
little or no external plant construction compared with the
increasing need to offload data from 3G to and OFDMA
deployment of wired solutions. Base stations will
based network optimized for data. Mobile WiMAX
cost under $20,000 but will still provide customers with
(802.16e) provides the only standards-based OFDMA
T1-class connections [25].
WAN technology. WiMAX is an excellent complement
Worldwide Standardization. WiMAX is developed
to other wireless technologies that are designed to work
and supported by the WiMAX forum (more than 470
in the LAN (WiFi) or that offer wider coverage but with
members). The WiMAX forum collaborates with
more limited capacity (GSM, CDMA, UMTS, EV-DO).
different international standards organizations that are
In regard to WiMAX cell design and coverage, the
developing broadband wireless standards with the intent
radio enhancement feature applicable to fixed and mobile
to provide interoperability among the standards. Some of
WiMAX compensate for the extra attenuation resulting
the other broadband wireless standards include
from higher carrier frequency, larger transmission
HiperMAN/HiperLAN (Europe) and WiBRO (South
bandwidth, and deep indoor penetration.
Korea). These standards are compatible with WiMAX at
WiMAX is expected take prominence in about five
the physical layer. WiMAX will become a truly global
years (2012). The strengths of WiMAX lie in its ability to
technology based standard for broadband and will
address the requirements of modern telecommunications
guaranty interoperability, reliability and evolving
networks and the commitment that has been shown to its
technology and will ensure equipment with very low cost.
development and wide acceptance by a number of leading
equipment vendors and service providers. The biggest
IX. DRAWBACKS OF WIMAX
challenges to deploying WiMAX–based services do not
The most significant challenge is that WiMAX is a stem very much from the spectrum, but from business
new technology with emerging support. case issues.
Hesitancy. Companies are very hesitant of setting up
WiMAX base stations today since it has not yet reached
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