What is wireless broadband access

Wireless Broadband Access

Wireless broadband is fairly new technology that provides high speed internet and data network access over long range. Broadband means “having instantaneous band width greater than around 1 MHz”. It features more roughly speed which is equal to wired broadband access. For example cable modem or ADSL.

Broadband Wireless Access:

This technology was designed by using cable modems. Broadband wireless access (BWA) technologies provide broadband data access by wireless means to consumer and business markets. The most common example is Wireless LAN, but efforts are intensively continuing to deliver broadband network access by deploying adequate radio technologies like Metropolitan area networks, 3G and wireless LAN which can even be combined in one single device to ensure seamless operation. One of the more common network architectures for this is point to point and multipoint architecture. Broadband wireless access is also an attractive option to operators in areas that do not have a wired access network available. Savings in speed of deployment and in installation costs will ensure that interest in that continues.

Broadband Wireless Access Technologies:

There are two of technologies which are used World wide which are given below

Factors	Terrestrial	Satellite
Markets	Large to medium size business, SOHO.	Large to medium size business but also residential
Products	Data services, OC3 and also DS3, Ultra high speed data, Telephony.	TV and data services also fractional DS3
Players	Air fiber, Terra Beam, Win star, Art and Teligent	Direct TV, Sky Bridge, Astrolink, Space way
Current Technologies	Multiple point or point to point. Strength:- Low installation costs and it can be used again called as reusable. Weaknesses:- Links are too short, Roof costs negotiable and LOS.	VSAT, GEO, and DBS Strength:- Large coverage area also good in rural areas, Broadcast services. Weaknesses:-High Latency in GEOs satellite, Complexity in LEOs satellite for 7-15 Years.

Spectrum 20 to 40 GHz can be created World wide with the help of wireless optics.

Broadband Wireless Access Perspectives:

Excellent for CLEC out region play in small markets.
Microwave and Optical Links are complimentary and can provide high reliability when the used together.
Self installation and plug and play hardware is critical to use.
Broadband wireless access equipments cost are not driving the business case cost.
Wireless can help last mile solution. For example Gap fills strategy and DSL extension.
Need technologies to mitigate LOS requirements and cost.
Need work integration and product interoperability.
Reliability of wireless access technologies. For example they are good in all weather conditions like Fiber Optics.
Need wireless access technologies that can support next generation services. For example (VoIP and VPNs).
Reoccurring Roof leases, operation costs and CPE installation are the business case cost drivers.

Future of Broadband Wireless Access:

Future of Broadband wireless access is based on the old and the present strategies, just like IMT Advanced: Proposals which are due in 2008/2009 need more wok in future. Drivers which are used for increase the Spectral Efficiency, Increased Capacity, and Higher peak data rates. Cost-efficient Deployment also plays an important role in the future of broadband wireless access.

Technologies are needed that support the following:

Advanced Antenna solutions.
Interference co-ordination, Cancellation and Avoidance.
Relaying Techniques.
Peer-to-Peer.
Simplified Network operation.
Advanced MBMS concepts.
Scenarios need to be identified leading to new deployment schemes.
For Examples: Cost of control signaling is often underestimated such as uplink scheduler, interference co-ordination and advanced MIMO concepts. Even if the information is available, it might be out-dated. And cross layer/ function-design is crucial then optimizations by interference co-ordination are impacted
Advanced Multi-Antenna concepts.