WIMAX

WIMAX is the wireless interoperability for Microwave Access, is a 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. It is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, which is also called WirelessMAN. The name WiMAX was created by the WiMAX Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote conformance and interoperability of the standard. The forum describes WiMAX as "a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL."

Definitions of terms

The terms "fixed WiMAX", "mobile WiMAX", "802.16d" and "802.16e" are frequently used incorrectly. Correct definitions are:


802.16d

Strictly speaking, 802.16d has never existed as a standard. The standard is correctly called 802.16-2004 and was developed by the IEEE 802.16 Task Group d. Therefore the project was called 802.16d, but the standard never was. However, since this standard is frequently called 802.16d, that term is also used in this article to assist readability.

802.16e

Just as 802.16d has never existed as a standard, neither has 802.16e. 802.16e is an amendment to 802.16-2004, and the amendment is properly referred to as 802.16e-2005. 802.16e-2005 is not a standard in its own right — since it is only an amendment, the original document (802.16-2004) has to be read and then the amendments added to it.

Fixed WiMAX

This is a phrase frequently used to refer to systems built using 802.16-2004 ('802.16d') and the Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing, OFDM Physical Layer, PHY as the air interface technology.

Fixed WiMAX deployments do not cater for handoff between Base Stations, therefore the service provider cannot offer mobility.

Mobile WiMAX

A phrase frequently used to refer to systems built using 802.16e-2005 and the Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access, OFDMA PHY as the air interface technology. "Mobile WiMAX" implementations can be used to deliver both fixed and mobile services.