A hybrid-mesh solution for coverage issues in WiMAX metropolitan area networks

Abstract

The new WiMAX technology offers several advantages over the currently available (GSMor UMTS-based) solutions. It is a cost effective, evolving, and robust technology providing quality of service guarantees, high reliability, wide cov- erage and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) transmission capabilities. All these features make it particularly suitable for densely populated urban environments. In this paper we discuss the design and implementation difficulties concerning network coverage discovered in a test-bed implementation of WiMAX. We point out the presence of unexpected “white spots” in the coverage, which are not inherently characteristic of the WiMAX concept. As a possible remedy to this significant drawback of the otherwise very promising technology, we consider reconfigurable mesh organization of WiMAX base stations. We also suggest directions for further development of this kind of network operation, partly based on our practical experience. Despite the clear advantages of the mesh mode in WiMAX networks, its development is currently at an early stage, due to the high complexity of the necessary mechanisms. In this situation, we propose an original, much simpler solution: the so-called support-mesh mode.