IEEE 802.16 Session #43 Report

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Session #43 Venue and Host
IEEE 802.16's Session #43, an Interim Session of Working Group, took place on 8-11 May 2006 in Tel Aviv, Israel, with 121 people attending. The Member Host was Naftali Chayat of Corporate Host Alvarion. In addition, Runcom Technologies Ltd. supported the Wednesday evening social event. On the morning of Monday 8 May, the host organized a meeting between the IEEE 802.16 attendees and the Israeli wireless industry.

Relay Task Group
The Working Group's Relay Task Group held its first meeting, following the 30 March approval of the P802.16j project authorization request (PAR). Dozens of contributions were reviewed. A ad hoc Usage Scenario committee was established. The new TG leadership team includes Chair Mitsuo Nohara, Vice Chair Peiying Zhu, and co-Editors Jung Je Son and Mike Hart. The Closing Report and minutes were issued, and a call for contributions will follow.

Network Management (NetMan) Task Group
The NetMan Task Group met to address its three projects as well as a separate issue related to the IEEE-SA Registration Authority Committee, as noted below. The Task Group issued a closing report and minutes.

802.16g Project
The NetMan Task Group addressed comments arising during 802.16 WG Letter Ballot Recirc #20a regarding the draft P802.16g/D2. Comment resolutions will be incorporated in a new draft, for recirculation prior to Session #44.
802.16i Project
The NetMan Task Group addressed responses to a Call for Comments regarding the P802.16i Baseline Document.
Update: A revised baseline was prepared and subjected to a Call for Comments through 10 July.
802.16k Project
Following the 30 March approval of the P802.16k project authorization request (PAR), the NetMan TG considered this project to amend IEEE 802.1D for support of 802.16 bridging. No contributions were received. The TG and WG agreed to adopt as a draft, and begin WG letter ballot on, the earlier contribution IEEE C802.16-06/001.
Update: WG Letter Ballot #22 was opened on 9 June, through 9 July. P802.16k/D1 is under review.

Licensed-Exempt Task Group
The Working Group's Licensed-Exempt Task Group met to review responses to a Working Group Review on its working document. The TG decided to develop a new working document for an additional review. The closing report and minutes were issued.
Update: A Second Working Group Review was opened on 5 June, through 10 July, to review the new working document.
Update: The LE Task Group web forum was opened, primarily for the use by four ad hoc committees set up by the TG at Session #43.

Conformance Task Group
The Conformance Task Group, addressing the P802.16/Conformance04 project on PICS Proforma for fixed operation below 11 GHz, completed comment resolution. With Sponsor Ballot approval standing at 100%, an approval application for Draft 7 will be filed with IEEE-SA's RevCom. The Task Group issued a closing report.

Maintenance Task Group
The Maintenance Task Group met to review responses received during Working Group Letter Ballot #21, which is reviewing a proposed Working Group maintenance process. Following comment resolution, an updated draft maintenance process was completed in preparation for recirculation #20a. In addition, a Call for Additional Change requests on IEEE 802.16, to be followed by a Call for Reply comments on all change requests, will be issued prior to Session #44. The Task Group issued a closing report and minutes.

Liaison Activities

  • A notice from ITU-R announced the approval, as of 27 April, of Recommendation ITU-R F.1763 on "Radio interface standards for broadband wireless access systems in the fixed service operating below 66 GHz." This document, developed by WP9B in SG9, recommends IEEE Std 802.16-2004 as well as the compatible ETSI BRAN HIPERMAN standard. The WG acknowledges the efforts of José Costa, its ITU-R Liaison Official, in helping to bring this important recommendation to a successful conclusion. Ongoing parallel activities in ITU-R WP8A are directed at recommendations for the mobile service.
  • A liaison statement to 3GPP SA5 announced the appointment of Jörg Schmidt as the 802.16 WG's liaison to that group.
  • Peretz Feder was named as liaison officer to the IEEE 802.21 WG.
  • A liaison statement from ETSI BRAN was presented.

    • Registration Authority Issue
    The NetMan TG was assigned to review comments received following a Call for Comments on a draft letter to the IEEE-SA Registration Authority Committee (RAC) concerning the use of the IEEE-SA Registration Authority for assignment of the 24-bit 802.16 Operator ID that serves as the operator-unique subset of the 48-bit Base Station ID. The WG approved a revised letter for submittal to the RAC for consideration at its July meeting. A contribution was received as a draft tutorial for use by the Registration Authority on this issue, and an ad hoc committee was instituted to review it.

    Working Group Issues
    The Working Group Membership declined to 229 on 6 June, as 20 individuals lost membership for failure to comply with WG letter ballot participation requirements. 117 other Potential Members will be eligible for membership by attending Session #44.

    Future Meetings

    Documents
    The Session #43 document list includes references to all session documents. Draft standards are available with a working group password or by purchase from IEEE-SA. Most IEEE 802.16 standards are available for free download via the Get IEEE 802® program. See the 802.16 publication list for details of published standards and drafts.

    Minutes and Motions
    The Working Group minutes, prepared by Acting WG Secretary Peiying Zhu, are available as IEEE 802.16-06/028.

    About IEEE 802.16
    The IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access Standards has developed and is enhancing the WirelessMAN® Standard for wireless metropolitan area networks. IEEE 802.16 is a unit of the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee, the premier transnational forum for wired and wireless networking standardization. A list of IEEE 802.16 standards and drafts is available on-line, as is a project milestone summary and an archive of previous Session Reports.

    "802.16 News" Mailing List
    The "802.16 News" mailing list ("stds-802-16-news") has the sole purpose of distributing major announcements related to the Working Group. Those interested in following the progress of the group but not in the day-to-day details may wish to subscribe. Only the Working Group Chair is eligible to post to the list, and mailings will be rare: once after each bimonthly session and additionally for major news, such as the approval of a new standard. Those subscribing to the stds-802-16 mailing list, for active Working Group participants, need not subscribe to stds-802-16-news since the postings will be redundant.

    With the approval of the IEEE 802.16 Working Group, this report was drafted and edited (7 June 2006 release; 9 June 2006 update) by:

    Roger Marks (Roger@WiMarks.Net)
    Chair, IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access Standards

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