Abstract
WiMAX service providers and equipment manufacturers worldwide are anticipating that, through the formulation of MMR (Mobile Multi-hop Relay) specifications, 802.16 system coverage can be expanded and WiMAX network data transmission speeds can be improved. Problems that MMR technology is expected to overcome include the restrictions on base station establishment, high backhaul operating costs, and the unsatisfactory wired broadband network environment in many emerging markets. The introduction of the 802.16j standard will help service providers to upgrade their WiMAX networks through the integration of MMR technology. It is for these reasons that the formulation of the 802.16j standard is attracting so much attention.
Formulation of 802.16j Standard to Ensure Greater Flexibility in WiMAX Network Deployment
The development of the 802.16j standard will make a significant contribution towards enhancing the flexibility of WiMAX network deployment by improving data transmission performance and expanding network coverage; it will also help to reduce overall network deployment cost. WiMAX service providers will therefore want to adopt 802.16j as early as possible, hence the recent upsurge of interest in the technology.
Once WiMAX products that conform to the 802.16j standard have been successfully developed, the overall cost of WiMAX system deployment will be similar to that of 3G (Third Generation Mobile Communications), making it easier for WiMAX service providers around the world to compete effectively with 3G operators in terms of network coverage and the speed of service rollout.
Taiwan's Industry Aggressively Developing MMR Technology
In the past, the Taiwanese data communications equipment industry has focused mainly on terminal equipment; the industry's central office equipment and base station R&D capabilities are still relatively limited. Relay stations, which are less complex than base stations, could provide a stepping-stone for Taiwanese manufacturers as they expand into central office equipment production. This is why Taiwanese companies are keeping a close eye on the development of the 802.16j standard.
Taiwanese research institutes have been allocating considerable amounts of R&D manpower to 802.16j technology development, with the aim of building up the necessary capabilities at an early stage in the standard's development. The research institutes will then be in a position to license 802.16j technology to Taiwanese manufacturers in the future, thereby enabling the manufacturers to proceed with 802.16j WiMAX relay station R&D and production.