Contents

1 Description

• IEEE standard 802.16.
• WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is telecommunications technology aimed at providing wireless data over long distances in a variety of ways, from point-to-point links to full mobile cellular type access. WiMAX operates at higher speeds, over greater distances, and for a greater number of users than Wi-Fi. Because of its higher speed (bandwidth) and falling component prices, it is predicted that WiMAX will soon supplant municipal mesh networks for wireless deployments.
• High-speed broadband service with wireless access.
• Broad coverage like a cell phone network.
• Uses a network of WiMAX towers that are similar to cell phone towers.
• To access a WiMAX network, subscribers must subscribe to an ISP with a WiMAX tower within 10 miles of their location. They also need a WiMAX-enabled computer and a special encryption code to get access to the base station.

2 Hardware

A WiMAX network consists of two main components:

1. A tower that is similar in concept to a cellular telephone tower. A single WiMAX tower can provide coverage to an area as large as 3,000 square miles, or almost 7,500 square kilometers. A WiMAX tower station connects directly to the Internet using a high-bandwidth connection (for example, a T3 line). A tower can also connect to other WiMAX towers using line-of-sight microwave links. WiMAX is thus able to provide coverage to rural areas out of reach of "last mile" cable and DSL technologies.
2. A WiMAX receiver that is similar in size and shape to a PCMCIA card, or built into a laptop or other wireless device.

3 Capacity

The 802.16 (or WiMAX) standard allows transmissions up to 70 Mb/s, and has a range of up to 30 miles (50 km). It can operate in licensed or unlicensed bands of the spectrum from 2 to 6 GHz.