WiMAX Advantages

The IEEE 802.16 standard is designed for WMAN networks. It provides inter-
operable broadband wireless connectivity to fixed and nomadic users. It
provides up to 50 km of service area and allows the users to get broadband
connectivity without the need of direct line of sight to the base station. It pro-
vides a total data rate of up to 75 Mbps, which is enough to simultaneously
support a lot of business and home requirements. The advantages of WiMAX
are given as follows.

1. High Capacity
A single WiMAX main station can serve hundreds of users. It targets a range
of up to 31 miles with target transmission rate exceeding 100 Mbps. By using
higher modulation, bandwidth can further be increased. Through WiMAX
one can transfer data, voice, Internet, video images, pictures, video conferencing, etc., at a very high data rate. So WiMAX can provide sufficient bandwidth to the end users

2. Quality of Service
The MAC layer of the WiMAX architecture is responsible for Qos. Subchannelization and different coding schemes enable end-to-end QoS. High data rate and flexible scheduling can enhance the QoS.

3. Flexible Architecture
The architecture of WiMAX is highly flexible. Depending upon the require-
ment it can connect different stations on point-to-point or point-to-multipoint
basis. Further the range can be increased with the help of directional antennas.

4. Mobility
In WiMAX, the user device can maintain an operating network data service session for real-time application as it moves at vehicular speeds within the network coverage area. It supports optimized handover schemes with latencies less than 50 ms to ensure real-time application such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) without service degradation. Flexible key management assures that security is maintained during handover.

5. Improved User Connectivity
The IEEE 802.16 standard keeps more users connected by virtue of its flexible channel bandwidths and adaptive modulation. WiMAX uses channels narrower than the fixed 20 MHz channels used in Wi-Fi. It can serve lower data rate users without wasting bandwidth. Adaptive modulation helps to connect them in the noisy or low-signal strength conditions.

6 Robust Carrier Class Operation
As the number of users accessing the data increases, the aggregate bandwidth is shared because of which the individual throughput starts decreasing linearly. The decrease is lesser than what is experienced under Wi-Fi. So this standard is designed for carrier class operation.

7. Scalability
WiMAX system offers scalability in network architecture as well as in radio access technology. It provides a great deal of flexibility in network deployment options and service offerings. It is designed to work in different forms of channelization from 1.25 to 20 MHz to comply with varied worldwide requirements. It can also fulfill the needs such as providing affordable Internet access in rural areas versus enhancing the capacity of broadband access in metro and suburban areas only.

8. Nonline-of-Sight Connectivity
WiMAX is based on OFDM technology and can handle nonline-of-sight connectivity. This capability helps WiMAX to communicate in a nonline-of-sight environment, which other wireless products cannot. The nonline-of-sight coverage can further be increased by using directional antennas or adaptive modulation .

9. Cost Effectiveness
Mass adoption of the standard and the use of low-cost, mass-produced chipsets can reduce costs dramatically, and the resultant competitive pric-
ing will provide considerable cost saving for service providers and end users.
Further, base stations and base station equipments need not be installed in
totality at the outlet, but can be deployed over a period of time to address
specific market segments or geographical areas of Internet to the operator.

10. Fixed and Nomadic Access
WiMAX can provide both fixed and nomadic access to its users. In fixed
access, the user device is assumed to be fixed in a single geographical area
for the duration of the network subscription. Here the user can connect and
disconnect from the network. It can select the best base station while entering
the network. The user is associated only with the same base station sector or
cell, and any reassociation with other cell is controlled by the network.
In nomadic access, the user device is assumed to be fixed in a geographical
location at least as long as the network data service session is in operation
if the user shifts to a new location in the same wireless network. The user
subscription is recognized, and a new data service session is established. The
user device is associated with the same base station during a data service
session. So WiMAX complements third-generation mobile networks by pro-
viding “nomadic’’ broadband access. Vendors can now compete to sell their
equipment, which benefits the customer base by providing lower costs and
enabling broadband access in emerging markets.