The IEEE 802.16 Working Group on broadband wireless

This article describes the new initiative on broadband wireless access (BWA) that has formed Working Group 802.16 in the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee. The aim is to provide the reader with highlights of the IEEE 802 activities in order to enable better dissemination of these standards into marketable products as well as seek new ideas to be brought into the IEEE 802 arena. BWA systems, utilizing base stations to provide broadband data to business or homes, offer an alternative to wired "last-mile" access links using fiber, cable, or telephone lines. As illustrated, the base stations may be either terrestrial, in orbit, or mounted on airplanes or dirigibles in the stratosphere. The customer terminals can carry two-way communications for Internet access, digital video, telephony, and other services.