MANHASSET, N.Y. — The IEEE has formally approved its air interface standard for fixed broadband wireless systems. Standard 802.16, which is applicable for 10- to 66-GHz systems, sets the stage for the rapid development of wireless high-speed metropolitan-area networks for last-mile access, the IEEE said.
Designed to enable devices from different manufacturers to interoperate, the standard creates a platform on which high-rate systems can be installed rapidly without extensive metropolitan cable infrastructures, the IEEE said.
The standard's media-access control (MAC) layer supports multiple physical layer specifications. The current physical layer is optimized for bands from 10 to 66 GHz, and extensions to the 2- to 11-GHz bands are expected to be completed next summer by the 802.16a working group.
The companion IEEE Standard 802.16.2, published in September, provides guidelines for system deployment and planning information for operators wishing to deploy IEEE 802.16 systems.
"The new WirelessMAN standard is a groundbreaking development that changes the landscape for providers and customers of high-speed networks," said Roger Marks, chairman of the 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access. "The standard makes highly efficient use of bandwidth and supports voice, video and data applications with the quality that customers demand."
The final standard will be published by January 2002. The approved draft of the standard is available online.
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