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With WiMAX, WiFi-like data rates are easily supported, but the issue of
interference is lessened. WiMAX operates on both licensed and non-licensed
frequencies, providing a regulated environment and viable economic model
for wireless carriers.
What is WiMAX?
Fixed WiMAX
Figure 2 Fixed WiMAX offers cost effective point to point and point to multi-
point solutions
What makes WiMAX so exciting is the broad range of applications it makes
possible but not limited to broadband internet access, T1/E1 substitute for
businesses, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) as telephone company
substitute, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) as cable TV substitute,
backhaul for Wi-Fi hotspots and cell phone towers, mobile telephone
service, mobile data TV, mobile emergency response services, wireless
backhaul as substitute for fiber optic cable.
Mobile WiMAX
Figure 3 Mobile WiMAX allows any telecommunications to go mobile
Mobile WiMAX takes the fixed wireless application a step further and
enables cell phone-like applications on a much larger scale. For example,
mobile WiMAX enables streaming video to be broadcast from a speeding
police or other emergency vehicle at over 70 MPH. It potentially replaces
cell phones and mobile data offerings from cell phone operators such as
EvDo, EvDv and HSDPA. In addition to being the final leg in a quadruple
play, it offers superior building penetration and improved security measures
over fixed WiMAX. Mobile WiMAX will be very valuable for emerging
services such as mobile TV and gaming.
One of the most often heard descriptions of WiMAX in the press is that it is
"Wi-Fi on steroids". In truth, it is considerably more than that. Not only
does WiMAX offer exponentially greater range and throughput than Wi-Fi
(technically speaking 802.11b, although new variants of 802.11 offer
substantial improvements over the "b" variant of 802.11), it also offers
carrier grade quality of service (QoS) and security. Wi-Fi has been
notorious for its lack of security. The "b" variant of 802.11 offered no
prioritization of traffic making it less than ideal for voice or video. The
limited range and throughput of Wi-Fi means that a Wi-Fi service provider
must deploy multiple access points in order to cover the same area and
service the same number of customers as one WiMAX base station (note the
differences in nomenclature). The IEEE 802.11 Working group has since
approved upgrades for 802.11 security and QoS.
Wireless Architectures
The following section will provide a simple overview of wireless
concepts and nomenclature to help the reader understand how
WiMAX works and will assist the reader in communicating with
the WiMAX industry.
There are two scenarios for a wireless deployment: point-to-point and point-
to-multipoint.
Figure 7: Point-to point and point-to-multipoint configurations
Point-to-point (P2P)
Point to point is used where there are two points of interest: one sender and
one receiver. This is also a scenario for backhaul or the transport from the
data source (data center, co-lo facility, fiber POP, Central Office, etc) to the
subscriber or for a point for distribution using point to multipoint
architecture. Backhaul radios comprise an industry of their own within the
wireless industry. As the architecture calls for a highly focused beam
between two points range and throughput of point-to point radios will be
higher than that of point-to-multipoint products.
Point-to-Multipoint (PMP)
WiMAX Radios
At the core of WiMAX is the WiMAX radio. A radio contains both a
transmitter (sends) and a receiver (receives). It generates electrical
oscillations at a frequency known as the carrier frequency (in WiMAX that
is usually between 2 and 11 GHz). A radio might be thought of as a
networking device similar to a router or a bridge in that it is managed by
software and is composed of circuit boards containing very complex chip
sets.
WiMAX architecture, very simply put, is built upon two components: radios
and antennas. Most WiMAX products offer a base station radio separate
from the antenna. Conversely, many CPE devices are also two piece
solutions with an antenna on the outside of the building and subscriber
station indoors as illustrated in the figure below.
Radio placement
The photo above shows the WiMAX radio deployed in an enclosure. Note
from left to right: a) copper grounding cable on the inside of the enclosure b)
Ethernet connection to the data source c) Heliax "pigtail" to the antenna
(Heliax is a heavy duty, lightning resistant cable) d) 110v power via an APC
UPS (note black box in top right hand corner of enclosure.
What are some strategies to ensure the antenna can be as high as possible to
take advantage of line-of-sight topologies where ever possible while keeping
the pigtail as short as possible? One approach is to co-locate the radio on or
near the roof with the antenna in an enclosure. Considerations for
enclosures include: a) security and b) weather resistance-how hot or cold can
your radio gets and still function?
WiMAX Antennas
Figure 11: Different antenna types are designed for different applications
WiMAX antennas, just like the antennas for car radio, cell phone, FM radio,
or TV, are designed to optimize performance for a given application. The
figure above illustrates the three main types of antennas used in WiMAX
deployments. From top to bottom is an omni directional, sector and panel
antenna each has a specific function.
Sector antennas
Figure 13: Sector antennas are focused on smaller sectors
Panel antennas
Figure 14: Panel antennas are most often used for point-to-point
applications
Panel antennas are usually a flat panel of about one foot square. They can
also be a configuration where potentially the WiMAX radio is contained in
the square antenna enclosure. Such configurations are powered via the
Ethernet cable that connects the radio/antenna combination to the wider
network. That power source is known as Power over Ethernet (PoE). This
streamlines deployments as there is no need to house the radio in a separate,
weatherproof enclosure if outdoors or in a wiring closet if indoors. This
configuration can also be very handy for relays.
Subscriber Stations
The technical term for customer premise equipment (CPE) is subscriber
station. The generally accepted marketing terms now focus on either
"indoor CPE" or "outdoor CPE". There are advantages and disadvantages to
both deployment schemes as described below.
Outdoor CPE
Figure 15: An outdoor CPE device
Outdoor CPE, very simply put, offers somewhat better performance over
indoor CPE given that WiMAX reception is not impeded by walls of
concrete or brick, RF blocking glass or steel in the building's walls. In
many cases the subscriber may wish to utilize an outdoor CPE in order to
maximize reception via a line of sight connection to the base station not
possible with indoor CPE. Outdoor CPE will cost more than indoor CPE
due to a number of factors including extra measures necessary to make
outdoor CPE weather resistant.
Indoor CPE
Site Survey
Before any equipment is deployed, there must be a site survey to determine
what is needed in order to have a successful wireless operation. By
understanding the dynamics of the market where the deployment will take
place and planning accordingly, the service provider can ensure success on
Day One of operations.
Link Budget
Figure 17: The link budget determines the success or failure of a wireless
operation
The figure above illustrates a link budget. It is the equation of the power of
a signal transmitted minus detractions between the transmitter and receiver
(rain, interference from other broadcasters, vegetation, gain at the antennas
ate either end) and what signal is received at the receiver.
Frequency Plan
Part of the site survey process is to determine a viable frequency plan. The
wireless operator must make maximum use of limited spectrum assets. How
does one do that?
Traditional wireless thinking dictated that a radio and its associated antenna
should be at the highest point possible with a line of sight to a majority of
the service area (note mountain tops and the Empire State Building). This is
not necessarily so with WiMAX. As indoor subscriber units mature, the
value of antenna placement is not necessarily in height above subscribers,
but in achieving as short and direct a line of sight possible between base
station and subscriber's CPE.
Figure 19: Imagine each window or floor paying $500 per month in WiMAX
services
Objections to WiMAX
A discussion of WiMAX is not complete without taking
on objections to the technology. Before any one can
sell a high technology product, they must first sell
the customer on the technology.
Figure 20: Objections to WiMAX are best understood via the
provisions built into the WiMAX Physical and MAC layers
Source: IEEE
1. Interference: Won't
interference from other
broadcasters degrade the quality of the WiMAX
service?
Wireless is inherently
2. Quality of Service (QoS):
unstable so how can it offer voice and video
services?
The answers to those objections are best understood via the Physical
(known as the PHY, pronounced "fi") and Medium Access Control
(MAC pronounced "Mac") Layers. The WiMAX Working Group no
doubt were aware of these objections based on experiences with earlier
wireless technologies (Wi-Fi, LMDS, MMDS, CDMA, GSM) and have
engineered WiMAX to fix failures of past wireless technologies.
Multiple in and multiple out (MIMO) antenna systems work on the same
principle. With multiple transmitters and receivers built into the antenna, the
transmitter and receiver can coordinate to move to open frequency if/when
interference occurs.
Software defined radios (SDR) use the same strategy to avoid interference.
As they are software and not hardware defined, they have the flexibility to
dynamically shift frequencies to move away from a congested frequency to
an open channel.
Wimax Disadvantages
Wimax technology was designed to compete with remote locations that presently employs satellite for internet
connectivity. Wimax technology can operate on both licensed and non licensed frequencies. Wimax Technology is
powerful mobile technology but are facing some disadvantages discussed below.
Lack of Quality
The Wimax network has lack of quality service because there are hundreds of people trying to get access at the same
tower so due to heavy traffic it is very hard to maintain high quality.
Wimax range
The other disadvantage of Wimax network is range. As Wimax offer 70Mbps in range with moving station but in practice
it is quite different because it is possible only in specify or ideal circumstances. If a user staying away from the specified
environment then speed can drop considerably.
Wimax Bandwidth
Like other network Bandwidth is collective amongst clients in a specified zone. But if there are a lot of users in one area
the speed decreases which may be 2 to 10 Mbps of shared bandwidth.
Expensive network
The most disadvantage of WiMAX is its installation and operational cost. Due to heavy structure, tower, antennas etc
makes the WiMAX network collectively high cost network.
Bad Weather
The quality of services decreases in rainy season because the weather condition could interrupt the signal which may
cause of bad signal and broadcasting may be stop or interrupted.
Wireless equipments
If you are trying to use much wireless equipment at a time within WiMAX network then these equipments may cause of
interference and could interfere your broadcasting data or face some compromised speed.
Power consuming
WiMAX network is very heavy in structure therefore need much electrical support for running the overall network.
Data Rate
The data rate of Wimax as compared to other network such as fiber optics, satellite, cables etc are very slow.