NextGen wireless access gateway analysis of combining WiMAX and LTE gateway functions

The capabilities of the wireless networks are continuously being enhanced to meet ever growing demand of the higher data rates for accessing wide range of Internet services in the mobile node. The IEEE 802.16e mobile worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), 3GPP long term evolution (LTE) and 3GPP2 ultra mobile broadband (UMB) wireless technologies are identified as next generation technologies beyond 3G to meet this growing demand. All these technologies are using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) as the radio access technology to achieve higher data rates, efficient spectrum usage, higher cell throughput, seamless mobility and all-IP based core network for distributed, scalable network architecture to support wide range of applications/services with better quality of experience. Some of BS Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) already support both LTE and WiMAX base station function on the same hardware platform with different software loads. Looking at this trend, and considering the user plane transport similarities in ldquobeyond 3Grdquo networks, this paper analyses the possibility of having common access gateway functional modules for supporting LTE networks mobility management entity (MME), serving gateway (S-GW) functions and WiMAX networks access services network gateway (ASN-GW) functions.