According to Dailywireless, work begins next month on one of the IEEE’s most important, and most politically charged, projects, to devise an “intelligent” air interface (cognitive radio), that can tap into unused television frequencies. This will be the standard (802.22) for fixed wireless systems that use cognitive radio techniques to switch automatically to a clear area of the band, and According to Dailywireless, work begins next month on one of the IEEE’s most important, and most politically charged, projects, to devise an “intelligent” air interface (cognitive radio), that can tap into unused television frequencies. This will be the standard (802.22) for fixed wireless systems that use cognitive radio techniques to switch automatically to a clear area of the band, and to avoid interfering with other occupying devices.
The IEEE is particularly focused on systems for the underused US television spectrum between 54MHz and 862MHz, which is being vacated (reluctantly) as broadcasters move to digital. The FCC proposes to open up 300MHz of this UHF/VHF spectrum as its first major test of software defined or cognitive radios. It would permit fixed access systems transmitting up to 1W in power and portable devices up to 100mW.
If successful, the FCC could push to open up other licensed bands to coexistence with unlicensed devices, and encourage other regulators around the world to follow suit. Intel and others are lobbying to increase spectrum for Wi-Fi and WiMAX in order to stimulate their own sales potential.
This year, the 802.22 group was designated to develop a standard. The 802.16 faction argued that cognitive radio work should be under its tent, rather than in a separate group, but was defeated. So the quest to turn 802.22 into a real 700 Mhz alternative is underway.
WiMAX is flexible in its channel sizes and can use the 6MHz width of the TV channels. Below 900MHz, range could be three times that in 2.4GHz, reducing the number of base stations required well below 3G’s requirements, making mobile WiMAX clouds an even stronger proposition against cellular in licensed and unlicensed modes.
The first focus of the 802.22 effort, reports the Rethink report, is on rural fixed wireless access. “This is ideal spectrum for deploying regional networks to provide broadband service in sparsely populated areas,” said Carl Stevenson, interim chair of the new group, in a statement. “Our goal is to equal or exceed the quality of DSL or cable modem services, and to be able to provide that service in areas where wireline service is economically infeasible, due to the distance between potential users.?î???? In fixed networks, 802.22-based technologies
could achieve 40 kilometer range and complement local Wi-Fi and 802.16 backhaul, he said.The 802.22 leaders, apparently, don’t want their work too closely identified with 802.16 (WiMax). But, in the view of Rethink Research, it would be a serious blow to the vision that the FCC is putting forward, if the cognitive radio work becomes bogged down in politics and radio turf wars.
To view the official IEEE press release on 802.22, click here.
Carl R. Stevenson, Chair IEEE P802.22 WG, comments:
IEEE 802.22 has the charter, through its PAR Project Authorization Request) to develop a cognitive PHY/MAC/air interface for unlicensed use on a non-interfering basis in geographically unused TV channels. The frequency span is 54-862 MHz, which is the global span of allocations to the TV Broadcast Service, though the “chunks” available vary from region to region.
Note, however, that we are NOT chartered to “underlay,” for example the US cellular bands – only to access spectrum that is allocated to the TV Broadcast Service in any particular regulatory domain.)
It is not our intent to “compete” with other IEEE 802 wireless networking solutions, but rather to develop a solution to the particular application of making effective, non-interfering use of unused TV spectrum.
We have had active and cooperative participation by the incumbent licensees (including their association MSTV), TV set manufacturers (through CEA), the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, and other interested parties, as well as the “traditional IEEE 802″ networking equipment and semiconductor producer participants.