stds-802-16: revised TGa ballot schedule
I want to explain the revised TGa ballot schedule that you will find at <http://ieee802.org/16/tga/schedule.html>.
This plan recognizes that, based on the comments we received, we need to plan for two recirculations, not just one. The old schedule didn't allow for a second recirc.
The new plan is to start the first recirc ASAP following Session #21 in Korea. However, we will recirculate only the comment resolutions, not the new draft, because we don't have time to wait for it.
This first recirc should be done no later than Oct. 14. By this time, Nico will be up to date with the editing. I suppose he'll made a D5a, which we won't formally release except to the Working Group.
Afterwards, we will need to follow with a second recirc (or "confirmation ballot") that includes D6, so the balloters get to see the final version before we close out. [By the way, this process of two recircs, with no draft on the first one, is perfectly acceptable and not novel. In fact, we used exactly the same process in our two earlier Sponsor ballots (802.16 and 802.16.2).]
So, after Oct. 14, the next goal will be to prepare launch the second recirc, involving D6. To make our RevCom deadline, we need to get that ballot launched by Nov. 1, which means delivering the materials to the IEEE Balloting Center by Oct. 25.
This basically leaves us two weeks (Oct. 14-25) to create D6 based on the comments received in the first recirc. We will use some combination of Internet review and teleconference. If we get it right, then this recirc will come up clean and we will be all set for RevCom approval on Dec. 10. Otherwise, we will have to wait until the next RevCom opportunity (nominally, next March).
For the Working Group, this all means that we should try to get it right at Session #21 and be virtually finished, so that the following recirc is peaceful. Solid reply comments will help.
Roger
P.S. I am planning for just one recirc of the 802.16c draft, since the results were so positive and the required edits relatively simple.