IEEE
STARTS STANDARD TO TAP OPEN REGIONS IN THE TV SPECTRUM FOR WIRELESS
BROADBAND SERVICES
IEEE
P802.22™ to Allow for Wireless Regional Area Networks of
40 km or More; To Require Systems Not to Interfere with Existing
TV Services
Contact:
Carl R. Stevenson, IEEE 802.22 Working Group Interim Chair +1
610 965 8799, carl.stevenson@ieee.org
Karen McCabe,
IEEE Senior Marketing Manager
+1 732 562 3824,k.mccabe@ieee.org
PISCATAWAY,
N.J., USA, 12 Oct. 2004 Over-the-air broadcast TV channels
are separated by unused frequencies. This "white space"
in the broadcast spectrum varies with the channels present in
a locale and creates opportunities for other applications. As
a step in putting these unused channels to practical use, the
IEEE has started work on a standard to enable the deployment of
wireless regional area networks using the unused TV channels,
while not interfering with the licensed services now operating
in the TV bands.
The new project,
IEEE P802.22™, "Standard for Wireless RegionalArea Networks
(WRAN)--Specific requirements--Part 22: Cognitive Wireless RAN
Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications:
Policies and procedures for operation in the TV Bands," will
specify a cognitive air interface for fixed, point-to-multipoint,
wireless regional area networks that operate on unused channels
in the VHF/UHF TV bands between 54 and 862 MHz.
"Signals at these frequencies can propagate 40 km or more
from a well-sited base station, depending on terrain," said
Carl R. Stevenson, Interim Chair of the IEEE P802.22 Working Group.
"This is ideal spectrum for deploying regional networks to
provide broadband service in sparsely populated areas, where vacant
channels are available. Our goal is to equal or exceed the quality
of DSL or cable modem services, and to be able to provide that
service in areas where wireline service is economically infeasible,
due to the distance between potential users.
"This
standard will enable the creation of interoperable IEEE 802 WRAN
products. It has generated a great deal of interest from wireless
internet service providers, community networking organizations,
government bodies and other parties."
Protocols
in the standard will ensure that this new service does not cause
harmful interference to the licensed incumbent services in the
TV broadcast bands. The standard will provide for broadband systems
that choose portions of the spectrum by sensing what frequencies
are unoccupied.
In the U.S.,
The Federal Communication Commission has issued a Notice of Proposed
Rule Making to open the 54-698 MHz portion of the TV spectrum
for unlicensed usage. IEEE 802.22 will enable compliance to these
rules once they are finalized.
"The
standard, which will work with existing IEEE 802 architectures,
will give IEEE 802.11™ wireless local area networks in outlying
areas a fatter pipe for receiving and transmitting data,"
says Stevenson. "It also will complement IEEE 802.16™
metropolitan area networks, which do not include cognitive radio
functions for sharing TV spectrum.
"The
concepts underlying this standard are attractive to both developed
and undeveloped countries having little wireline infrastructure.
By extending out to 40km or more, most regional area networks
should have enough potential subscribers within their coverage
areas to make them viable ventures."
The formation
of the IEEE 802.22 Working Group has involved broad participation
from those in the TV broadcast sector and the public safety community
who are licensed users of the target spectrum, as well as from
chip vendors, wireless equipment suppliers, and even other countries
having large, relatively sparsely populated areas.
"I am
pleased to see the ongoing endorsement and support of IEEE 802
Local and Metropolitan Standards Committee by our participant
and the data communications industry as evidenced by the many
new standards development projects brought to 802 such as this
one," said Paul Nikolich, Chair of IEEE
802. "I expect the new 802.22 project to substantially improve
the utilization
of the scarce RF spectrum resources."
IEEE P802.22
is sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society.
About the
IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), a global standards-setting
body, develops consensus standards through an open process that
brings diverse parts of an industry together. It has a portfolio
of more than 870 completed standards and more than 400 in development.
IEEE-SA 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. For further information on IEEE-SA visit:
http://standards.ieee.org/.
About the
IEEE
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Through its members, the organization is a leading authority on
areas ranging from aerospace, computers and telecommunications
to biomedicine, electric power and consumer electronics. The IEEE
produces nearly 30 percent of the world's literature in the electrical
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IEEE 802.11,
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or product names are the trademarks, service marks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.
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