IEEE 802.16 Group Makes Key Decisions on Fixed Broadband Wireless Access

Broad industry support for worldwide systems interoperability in CPE, base stations

Contact:
Roger Marks, NIST, +1 303 497 3037 Voice, marks@nist.gov

Dean Chang, +1 408 719 9977 Voice, dchang@apertonet.com

Karen McCabe, Standards Mktg. Mgr., +1 732 562 3824 Voice, k.mccabe@ieee.org

For Release: Immediate

(PISCATAWAY, NJ, 20 Nov. 2000) The IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access announced it reached several key milestones during its Session #10, held on 6-9 November 2000, in Tampa, Florida, USA. During the session, attended by 211 people affiliated with more than 110 organizations worldwide, the Working Group:

- reviewed proposals for the physical layer for the "Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems in Licensed Bands from 2 to 11 GHz"
- initiated a Working Group Letter Ballot to approve a draft of "Recommended Practice on Coexistence of Broadband Wireless Access Systems" targeting 10- 66 GHz
- processed all comments to the consensus working version of the "Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems Targeting 10 - 66 GHz, "in preparation for Working Group Letter Ballot anticipated by early 2001. This document has been downloaded over 20,000 times

"Our members support the rapid development of standards which are critical to respond to worldwide demand for wireless broadband service delivery," said Roger Marks, Chairman of the IEEE 802.16 Working Group. "Global systems interoperability is an absolute must-have for widespread service provider adoption and ease of implementation."

The 802.16 Working Group effort concentrates on open development of accredited air-interface standards based on public consensus. Dean Chang, Publicity Chair of 802.16, emphasized, "Historical precedents have favored the universal appeal of IEEE 802 standards. Worldwide acceptance of IEEE 802.3 Ethernet, IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN, and other ubiquitous network standards serves as strong evidence of this trend."

About IEEE 802.16
The IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access is creating the IEEE 802.16 family of WirelessMAN™ Standards for Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks. With 134 members and over 40 official observers, IEEE 802.16 operates in an open process to develop accredited air interface standards and recommended practices for global use. Meeting bimonthly, 802.16 has a record of rapidly reaching technical consensus. IEEE 802.16's standards set the stage for a revolution in reliable, high-speed network access in the first mile by homes and enterprises.

About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) is an international membership organization serving today's industries with a complete portfolio of standards programs. The IEEE-SA is a major contributor to the IEEE, which is the world's largest technical professional society. IEEE-SA membership, through its IEEE association, promotes the engineering process by creating, developing, integrating, sharing and applying knowledge about electro- and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the profession. More information is found at http://standards.ieee.org/sa-mem/index.html.