WiMAX Crash Course

by Steven Shepard

Overview

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The how and why of WiMAX—the“last mile” technology that’srevolutionizing wireless broadband

WiMAX Crash Course offers an accessibleoverview of the revolutionary solution forwireless delivery of broadband services. Using real-world examples,the book explains how WiMAX works and discussesthe business and economic implications of this groundbreakingtechnology.

WiMAX is emerging rapidly, andthis book will get you up to speed quickly. The book gives you the ability to ask theright questions of their providers before making infrastructureand service delivery decisions. Soon,WiMAXwill be everywhere. By reading this book, you will be readyto take full advantage of everything this innovativetechnology has to offer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780072263077
Publisher:	McGraw Hill LLC
Publication date:	05/06/2006
Series:	Crash Course
Pages:	339
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.77(d)

About the Author

Steven Shepard is the president of the Shepard Communications Group in Williston, Vermont. A professional author and educator with 24 years of varied experience in the telecommunications industry, he has written books and magazine articles on a wide variety of topics. Mr. Shepard specializes in international issues in telecommunications with an emphasis on strategic technical sales; services convergence; the social implications of technological change; the development of multilingual educational materials; and the effective use of multiple delivery media. He has written and directed more than 40 videos and films and written technical presentations on a broad range of topics for more than 70 companies and organizations worldwide. Global clients include major telecommunications manufacturers, service providers, software development firms, multinational corporations, universities, professional services firms, advertising firms, venture capital firms, and regulatory bodies.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	xi
	Foreword	xiii
	About the Author	xvii
Chapter 1	Introduction to Wireless and WiMAX	1
	Casting a Jaundiced Eye	5
	WiMAX, Convergence, and IMS	12
	IMS Fundamentals	12
	Critical Elements	13
	The Next-Generation Network	15
	First Things First: Radio Basics	17
	Quality Issues	18
	Distance	18
	Physical Impairments	20
	Bandwidth	21
	Analog versus Digital Signaling: Dispensing with Myths	23
	Amplitude Modulation	24
	Frequency Modulation	25
	Phase Modulation	26
	Digital Signaling	27
	Combining Signaling Techniques for Higher Bit Rates	29
	The Issue of Licensed Spectrum	35
	WiMAX Technology: An Introduction	37
	WiMAX Service Options	39
	How WiMAX Works	40
	WiMAX Deployment and Cost Considerations	41
	Summary	43
Chapter 2	WiMAX History and Support Organizations	45
	Enter WiMAX	47
	Broadband Data by Sector	49
	Broadband Wireless Evolution	50
	Spread Spectrum	51
	Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum	51
	Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum	53
	Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing	54
	WiFi Today	56
	802.11 Physical Layer	57
	802.11 Media Access Control Layer	57
	IEEE 802.16 Wireless Point-to-Multipoint MAN	58
	The WiMAX Forum	60
	Alphabetical Listing of Member Companies	60
	WiMAX Forum Companies	61
	Company Details	71
	Summary	154
Chapter 3	How WiMAX Works	157
	802.16 Development	158
	Why 802.16?	158
	802.16 Basics	159
	The 802.16 Media Access Control Layer	160
	ATM and 802.16	162
	Service Definitions	164
	Service Switching	164
	Payload Header Suppression for Virtual Path Connections	165
	Payload Header Suppression for Virtual Channel Connections	166
	PDU Formats	167
	Back to 802.16	167
	The 802.16 Physical Layer (1 to 66 GHz)	168
	The 802.16 Physical Layer (2 to 11 GHz)	169
	The Physical Layer	169
	The Downlink Subframe	171
	Transmission Convergence Sublayer	172
	Medium Access Control-and Friends	173
	Service-Specific Sublayers	173
	The 802.16 Common Part Sublayer	173
	The MAC PDU Format	174
	PDU Transmission	175
	Frame Structure	176
	Building the Frame	176
	Radio Link Control in 802.16	176
	Change Control	178
	Scheduling Services	178
	Support for Grants and Bandwidth Requests	180
	Channel Initialization and Acquisition	182
	Security Considerations	183
	Summary	184
Chapter 4	WiMAX Applications and Services	185
	The Arrival of Mobility	190
	The Millennials	190
	WiMAX Is Great, But...	192
	Key Applications	194
	Internet Access	194
	Local Loop Alternative	195
	WiFi Backhaul	196
	Cellular Backhaul	197
	Cable Bypass	198
	Making the Case for WiMAX	200
	The Cost of Deployment	203
	Summary	205
Chapter 5	WiMAX Regulatory Issues	207
	Relatively Recent Regulatory Decisions	209
	Other Regulatory Activity	211
	Recent Events	212
	Spectrum Considerations	213
	Near-Term Predictions	215
	Summary	216
Chapter 6	WiMAX and Other Broadband Wireless Futures	219
	Progress on WiMAX	221
	Network Design Considerations	222
	Core IP	222
	Moving Forward: Redefining the Customer	223
	Beginnings	224
	The Legacy Model	224
	Taking Stock: Where Are You on the Value Chain?	226
	Changing Times	227
	Things Get Complicated	228
	The Answer	230
	Final Thoughts	234
Appendix A	Common Industry Acronyms	237
Appendix B	Glossary of Terms	267
	Index	325