IEEE 802.16-2004

This revised standard specifies the air interface, including the medium access control layer and multiple physical layer specifications, of fixed broadband wireless access systems supporting multiple services. It consolidates IEEE Standards 802.16, 802.16a, and 802.16c, retaining all modes and major features without adding modes. Content is added or revised to improve performance, ease deployment, or replace incorrect, ambiguous, or incomplete material, including system profiles.

This standard enables rapid worldwide deployment of innovative, cost-effective, and interoperable multivendor broadband wireless access products, facilitates competition in broadband access by providing alternatives to wireline broadband access, encourages consistent worldwide spectrum allocations, and accelerates the commercialization of broadband wireless access systems.

Revision Standard - Superseded. This standard specifies the air interface of fixed broadband wireless access (BWA) systems supporting multimedia services. The medium access control layer (MAC) supports a primarily point-to-multipoint architecture, with an optional mesh topology. The MAC is structured to support multiple physical layer (PHY) specifications, each suited to a particular operational environment. For operational frequencies from 10–66 GHz, the PHY is based on single-carrier modulation. For frequencies below 11 GHz, where propagation without a direct line of sight must be accommodated, three alternatives are provided, using OFDM, OFDMA, and single carrier modulation. This standard revises and consolidates IEEE Std 802.16-2001, IEEE Std 802.16a-2003, and IEEE Std 802.16c-2002.