[802SEC] Mobile Broadband Wireless Access--distinction between the ECSG and 802.16 SG project authorization requests

["Paul Nikolich" <paul.nikolich@worldnet.att.net>]

Dear SEC members,

 

Both the Executive Committee Study Group on Mobile Broadband Wireless Access and the 802.16 Mobile Wireless Access Study Group have submitted Project Authorization Requests for projects that, as far as I can tell from the PARs, address the same market and application space.  This concerns me.

 

The only substantive difference in the PARs that I can see is that the 802.16 SG proposes to amend the 802.16 MAC/PHY to enable mobile operation, while the ECSG does not presume using the 802.16 standard as a starting point.  This confuses me—when we approved the 802.16 SG in July, it was to focus on enhancements to the 802.16a PHY/MAC for ‘limited mobility’ in the 2-11GHz band, whilst the ECSG was targeting ‘high mobility’ in the sub 3.5GHz band.  This established some, albeit small, distinction between the ECSG (0-3.5GHz, up to 250km/h) and 802.16 SGs (2-11GHz, limited mobility) activities.  Now, the gap has narrowed—narrowed to the point that I think the SEC must consider whether or not it makes sense to have two projects with such similar scope. 

 

I would like to hear what other members of the SEC think about the overlap between these two PARs—any opinions out there?

 

Regards,

 

--Paul Nikoich