Chapter 6

Wirelees Metropolitan
Area Networks
 Learning objectives
To know about wireless metropolitan area
networks (WMANs)
To know the architecture of WMANs
To know IEEE 802.16 standards
To know protocols of WMANS
To know the wireless broadband networks
To know the applications of WMANs
 Wireless metropolitan area
networks (WMANs)
Wireless Metropolitan area networks (WMANs) are
large computer networks connected by wireless
technology, usually spanning a city (upto 50 km)
It is a promising Broadband Wireless Access (BWA)
technology providing high-speed, high bandwidth
efficiency and high-capacity multimedia services
Residential and enterprise applications
IEEE 802.16 standard, commonly known as WiMAX
(Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access)
 WiMAX
WiMAX Forum (formed in June 2001)
Some members
Airspan Networks, Alvarion, Aperto Networks, Ensemble
Communication, Fujitsu of America, Intel, Nokia, Proxim, and
Wi-LAN
Description by forum
A standards based technology enabling the delivery of last
mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and
digital subscriber line (DSL)
 WiBro
South Korean mobile WiMAX
Stands for Wireless Broadband
IEEE 802.16e-2005 standard
Uses TDD (Time Division Duplex)
Uses 8.75 MHz maximum channel bandwidth
 IEEE 802.16
Air interface between a subscriber's transceiver
station and a base transceiver station
Goal - high-speed Internet access to home and
business subscribers, without wires.
Three standards
IEEE 802.16.1 - Air interface for 10 to 66 GHz,
IEEE 802.16.2 - Coexistence of broadband wireless access
systems
IEEE 802.16.3 Air interface for licensed frequencies for 2
to 11 GHz
 IEEE 802.16 properties
Broad bandwidth: Supports up to 134 Mbit/s in 28
MHz channel (in 10-66 GHz air interface).
Efficiently transports IPv4, IPv6, asynchronous
transfer mode (ATM), Ethernet, etc. (supports
multiple services)
MAC designed for efficient use of spectrum
comprehensive, modern, and extensible security.
Point-to-multipoint topology (P2MP), with mesh
extensions.
Supports for adaptive antennas and space-time
coding.
 IEEE 802.16 specifications
802.16a
802.16c
802.16-2004(d)
802.16e
802.16m (2009)
IEEE 802.16 standards
related to WiMax
 Advantages of IEEE 802.16
Last Mile connectivity
Roaming between networks
Flexibility
Scalability
IEEE 802.16 Vs. IEEE 802.11
WMAN network architecture
 Components
WiMAX Base Station
provide coverage to a very large area up to a radius of 6
miles.
Any wireless device within the coverage area would be
able to access the Internet.
WiMAX Receiver
also referred as customer premise equipment (CPE).
Backhaul
connection from the access point to the base station and
base station to the core network.
WiMAX features
 WiMAX mobility support
IEEE 802.16e-2005 standard supports mobility
management
Four mobility-related usage scenarios
1. Nomadic: fixed subscriber station with
different point of attachment
2. Portable: portable device
3. Simple mobility: subscriber moving at speeds
up to 60 kmph
4. Full mobility: Up to 120 kmph mobility and
seamless handoff
802.16 protocol stack
 Supported band of frequency
10 - 66 GHz licensed band
2 - 11 GHz licensed and licensed exempt
IEEE 802.16 physical layer
 Mechanisms of the physical layer
Robust Error Control Mechanism
Adaptive Modulation and Coding
Space Time Block Codes (STBC)
Adaptive Antenna System (AAS)
Modulation and Coding schemes in
WiMAX
Adaptive antenna system (AAS)
WiMAX signal transmission
scenario using AAS
IEEE 802.16 physical layer
features
 MAC layer
IEEE 802.16 MAC
designed for P2MP broadband wireless access applications
to provide an interface between the higher transport layers
and the physical layer
describes a number of Convergence Sublayers
describes how secure communications are delivered
include power saving mechanisms
 WiMAX frame
WiMAX Frame consists of two sub-frames
uplink (UL) subframe
downlink (DL) subframe

Frame structure makes use of different power levels

for efficiency and robustness
MAC PDU format

MAC PDU format

MAC PDU transmission

MAC PDU transmission

 MAC Quality of Service (QoS)
IEEE 802.16 MAC layer defines five service
classes
Unsolicited Grant Service (UGS)
Real-time Polling Service (rtPS)
Extended Real-time Polling Service (ertPS)
Non-real-time Polling Service (nrtPS)
Best Effort (BE) service
 Scheduling
Two types of scheduling
Centralized - base station assigns capacity to the other
stations
Decentralized - stations exchange scheduling information
with their neighbors
MAC layer features of IEEE
802.16
 Broadband wireless networks
Higher rate voice and data services
Supporting technologies
WLL (wireless local loop)
Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS
standardized as IEEE 802.16)
Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS)
wireless ATM
 Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
FSU (Fixed subscriber unit) performs
Channel coding/decoding
modulation/demodulation
transmission/reception of signal
Typical WLL architecture
 FSU implementation
FSU is integrated with handsets in some
products

high-capacity, centralized FSU serving more

than one subscriber (telephone, PC, fax, etc.)

Used in business buildings, apartment blocks

etc.
FSU serving multiple subscribers
Local Multipoint Distribution
Service (LMDS)
 LMDS
Broadband wireless P2MP communication
Operates above 20 GHz
Video telephony
Video-on-demand (VOD)
High-speed Internet access
 Multi-Point Multi-Channel
Distribution System (MMDS)
 MMDS
Operates at 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz
MMDS hub can serve a radius of up to 35 miles
Comparison of WLL technologies
 Synergy between MMDS and
LMDS spectrum and applications
Same customers and applications-data, voice, video.
Similar needs for backhaul, CPE modem, base station
gateways etc.
MMDS spectrum is good for long distance
communication- need few cells.
LMDS spectrum is good for communication over
short distances - need many cells.
LMDS and MMDS spectrum used together can lower
system deployment costs and increase coverage.
 Advantages and disadvantages of
MMDS spectrum
Propagation over long distances up to 100 km. with
single tower
Less attenuation due to rain, foliage
RF component costs lower at 2.5 GHz, and
Equipment readily available today
Limited capacity without sectorization, cellularization
which adds complexity and cost
 Advantages and disadvantages of
MMDS spectrum (Contd..)
Interference issues with other MMDS and
Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS)
licensees,
Large upstream bandwidth in MMDS band requires
careful planning, filtering etc., and
Cellularization later on may require retuning the
entire network.
 Advantages and disadvantages of
MMDS spectrum (Contd..)
Very large bandwidth available for data, IP telephony,
video conferencing services
Large capacity
Higher RF component costs
Small cell size, 2-8 Km
Does not cover entire metropolitan area of a large city
without adding many cells at high cost.
 Wireless ATM (WATM)
Broadband multimedia services in the public network
and local area (e.g. an office building, an industrial
production site)
Operating frequency for domestic wireless ATM
networks in the 5 to 6 GHz band
 Wireless ATM (Contd..)
Interconnection of wireless access and a wired ATM
network
Provide gateways between subnets
Seamless extension of the ATM network over the
wireless medium
 WATM (Wireless ATM)
Home wireless ATM network would consist of several
appliances
PC laptop, printers/fax machines, security systems, home
appliances, digital HD/SDTV sets, digital camcorder,
speakers
Operating frequency for domestic wireless ATM
networks - 5 to 6 GHz band
WATM architecture
 WMAN applications
Wireless service provider backhaul
Banking networks
Education networks
Public safety
WSP backhaul
WiMAX network for banking
Education network using WiMAX
Public safety network