While the world's data transmission capacities are growing at an enormous rate, relatively few users have broadband access to them. Wired solutions, including fiber, cable modems, and digital subscriber lines, have limitations that prevent ubiquitous deployment. Broadband wireless access (BWA) is an alternative that offers quick build-out at a low cost. A key issue for the success of these systems is global standardization. Within the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee, the 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access, with hundreds of participants worldwide, has completed the WirelessMAN air interface standard for fixed wireless metropolitan area networks. With this work completed, 802.16 has been chartered to extend its standard to address mobile terminals as well. This talk provides an overview of the 802.16 technology, which is based on a QoS-oriented point-to-multipoint medium access control layer and OFDM in the physical layer.

Roger B. Marks (Fellow, IEEE) is with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado, USA. In 1998, he initiated the effort that led to the IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access, chairing it since inception and serving as Technical Editor of IEEE Standards 802.16 and 802.16.2. He also serves actively on the IEEE 802 Executive Committee. Marks received his A.B. in Physics in 1980 from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in Applied Physics in 1988 from Yale University. Author of over 80 publications, his awards include the 2003 Individual Governmental Vision Award from the Wireless Communications Association and a 1995 IEEE Technical Field Award. He developed the IEEE Radio and Wireless Conference and chaired it from 1996 through 1999.