The 802.16 standard covers frequency bands in the range between 2 GHz and 11 GHz and specifies a metropolitan area networking protocol that will enable a wireless alternative for cable, DSL and T1 level services for last mile broadband access, as well as providing backhaul for 801.11 hotspots.
The new 802.16a standard specifies a protocol that among other things supports low latency applications such as voice and video, provides broadband connectivity without requiring a direct line of sight between subscriber terminals and the base station (BTS) and will support hundreds if not thousands of subscribers from a single BTS.
The standard will help accelerate the introduction of wireless broadband equipment into the marketplace, speeding up last-mile broadband deployment worldwide by enabling service providers to increase system performance and reliability while reducing their equipment costs and investment risks.
By Paul McLellan, Virtutech Semiconductor companies building chips for wireless handsets are naturally focused on taping out their chips. However, the gating item to production orders is no longer tape-out but completion of the embedded software by their customers.