IEEE 802.16 Group Achieves Key Milestones

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 March 2001) The IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access announced it reached several key milestones during its Session #12, held on 12-15 March 2001 in Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA. During the session, attended by 174 people affiliated with numerous organizations worldwide, the Working Group:

- Finalized a decision to create a unified Working Group air interface document, with a common, flexible medium access control (MAC) platform supporting multiple physical layers (PHYs)
- Approved, pending comment resolution, a draft 10-66 GHz air interface standard (802.16) with the expectation of publication in the fourth quarter of 2001
- Agreed to base a 2-11 GHz air interface standard (802.16a) on both single carrier and OFDM PHY layers

Work also progressed on the 802.16b WirelessHUMAN™ air interface for use at license-exempt frequencies. The 802.16.2 recommended practice on coexistence, following unanimous Working Group Letter Ballot approval, entered Sponsor Ballot phase.

"This meeting consisted of representatives from system vendors, semiconductor suppliers, and service providers all working together to develop an air interface standard based on open public consensus," said Roger Marks, Chair of the IEEE 802.16 Working Group. "Service providers need interoperability through a global standard in order to begin widespread deployment."

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 162 members and over 90 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. For more information, see http://WirelessMAN.org/.

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.

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