WIRELESS INTEROPERABILITY FOR

MICROWAVE ACCESS
(WIMAX)
Presented by:-
Fahad Ahmed & Saqib Rizvi
B.Tech (EC) VI Semester
D/o Electronics & Comm. Engg.
F/o Engg & Tech, JMI
New Delhi
 Accessing the internet
• There are basically three different options:
– Dial-up access :
• Telephone line is used.
• Max speed is up to 56 kbps.
– Broadband access -
• Starts at 256kbps.
• Can use either a DSL or cable modem.
• At the organization level, using a T1 or a T3 line.
– WiFi access - In your home, you may have set up a WiFi
router that lets you surf the Web while you lounge with
your laptop.
 Problems with Broadband access 
 Quite expensive.
 It doesn't reach all areas.
 The main problem with WiFi access is that hot spots
are very small, so coverage is sparse.
 What if there were a new technology that solved all
of these problems? 
 This new technology would provide:
I. High speed of broadband service.
II. Wireless rather than wired access, so it would be a lot less
expensive than cable or DSL and much easier to extend to
suburban and rural areas.
III. Broad coverage like the cell phone network instead of small WiFi
hotspots.
INTRODUCTION
• WiMAX stands for Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access.

• It is a telecommunication technology that provides

wireless transmission of data using a variety
of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links to
portable and fully mobile internet access.

• The technology is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard (also

called Broadband Wireless Access).

•  The forum describes WiMAX as "a standards-based

technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless
broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL".
 Background and 802.16
 Although the 802.16 project started as far back as 1998, the
body of work was done in 2000-2003 in an open consensus
process.

 The first version of the standard, 802.16, was published in

April 2002 and addressed fixed , line of sight connections for
the ‘first mile/last mile’ link.

 The next version of the standard, 802.16a, published in April

2003, is the one that has really kick-started WiMAX into
being adopted as the dominant wireless broadband
technology.
 802.16a, updated in 2004 to 802.16d, added
specifications for the 2 to 11 GHz range,
address interoperability by providing detailed
system profiles and specifying combinations
of options, also referred as Fixed WiMAX.

 2005 saw 802.16e or the Mobile WiMAX, an

updated version of 802.16d and uses
scalable orthogonal freq. div multiple access ,
which adds mobility to the standard and
really throws down the gauntlet to cellular.
 Technical
Specifications
 IEEE 802.16x standards
a) Uses both line of sight & non line of sight
connection depending upon the type of connection.

b) Operate at up to 70Mbps.

c) Range:
Areas of 31 to 50 miles radii.

d) Spectrum:
 Three licensed spectrum profiles: 2.3 GHz, 2.5 GHz and
3.5 GHz
 In the unlicensed band, 5.x GHz is the approved profile.
e) Use point-to-multipoint (star) or point to point
(mesh topologies).

f) Use OFDM(802.16d)/SOFDM(802.16e)
techniques.

g) 802.16e, also boasts multiple antenna support

through MIMO.

h) This brings potential benefits in terms of

coverage, self installation, power consumption,
frequency re-use and bandwidth efficiency.
Mobile WiMAX & Fixed WiMAX
• High Frequency Operation – Fixed
WiMAX
– Implements 802.16d standard

– In this form, the receiver requires dedicated antennae

properly installed in the line-of-sight of WiMAX tower.

– These types of connections are stronger and stable as

it uses 66GHz frequency spectrum to carry more data.

– This mode of operation can deliver broadband services

to about 30 miles/50 km radius.
Low Frequency Operation – Mobile WiMAX

Implements 802.16e standard

Supports broadband access at vehicular speeds.

The frequency range of operation is 2GHz –

11GHz.

As the frequency of operation is low, there is

a limitation in area of coverage, up to 6-7 KMs.
 WiMAX Wireless Network
 A WiMAX system consists of two parts:
I. 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 a circle of radius covering 30 miles.
II. A WiMAX receiver - It can be an embedded device just
like our WiFi receivers or it can be advanced hardware
equipment with dedicated antennae.
 A WiMAX tower station can connect directly to the ISP 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 is often referred to as
a backhaul.
WIMAX ANTENNAE
 FEATURES
The bandwidth and range of WiMAX make it
suitable for the following potential applications:
I. Connecting WiFi hotspots to the Internet.
II. Providing a wireless alternative to cable
and DSL for "last mile" broadband access.
III. Providing portable connectivity.
IV. The technology provides up to 70 Mbps
 broadband speed without the need for cables
v. A single standard for fixed broadband
access and mobility
vi. Wireless WLAN backhaul
vii. Low cost of deployment
viii. High scalability and
ix. The support of vendors with the
power to drive the standard forward
rapidly
Implementations
• There are two ways WiMAX can be
implemented
i. “Super WiFi" implementation(non-line-of-
sight): As a zone for wireless connections that
single users go to when they want to connect
to the Internet on a laptop.

ii. As a line-of-sight hub : to connect hundreds

of customers to a steady, always-on, high-
speed wireless Internet connection.
COMPARISON BETWEEN
WIMAX AND WIFI
 WIMAX WIFI
Licensed and license-exempt License-exempt only

COVERAGE
Optimised for outdoor non-line of sight Optimised for indoor use

Supports mesh networks No mesh support within standards

Supports advanced smart antenna Smart antenna support proprietary

RANGE
Optimised up to 50km Optimised for 100 meters

Handles many users widely spread out No ‘near-far’ compensation

 PERFORMANCE
Maximum data rate 70Mbps Maximum data rate 54Mbps

Maximum 5.0 bps/Hz Maximum 2.7 bps/Hz

SCALABILITY
Highly scalable. By setting up multiple Scalable, but high cost.
towers in the line-of-sight, WiMAX can
cover a very large area.

Each of these towers does not necessarily Each WiFi access point would need
need separate internet connectivity. separate internet input to scale it.

Quality of Service (QoS)

Grant request MAC Contention-based MAC, no guaranteed
QoS
Designed to support voice and video from Standard cannot guarantee latency for
the start voice or video
 POTENTIAL
APPLICATIONS
I. WiMAX based smart grid technology.

II. WiMAX would boost commuter experience.

III. Great applications in the medical industry and

healthcare.

IV. Could play a great role in untangling traffic

problems.

V. Provides wireless video surveillance opportunity.

VI. WiMAX could boost government security

 CONCLUSION
As WiMAX delivers high-speed internet
through wireless medium, the cost of
implementing broadband access to remote
parts of world are very low. Because of the
same reason, we believe WiMAX have huge
potential to become the world’s popular
broadband access method in near future.
THANK YOU!!