IEEE 802.16 Session #48 Report

Session #48 Venue and Attendance
The IEEE 802.16 Working Group met in its Session #48 on 12-15 March 2007 at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, FL, USA. This was an IEEE 802 LMSC Plenary Session and co-located with sessions of the other IEEE 802 Working Groups and Technical Advisory Groups. The attendance list includes 363 individuals, just short of the WG record of 367 set at Session #34.

Task Group m (TGm): Advanced Air Interface
Task Group m (TGm) held its second meeting in the development of the P802.16m project. The intent of the project is to amend the IEEE 802.16 WirelessMAN-OFDMA specification so that, while offering continuing support for legacy WirelessMAN-OFDMA equipment, it can meet the emerging cellular layer requirements of IMT-Advanced next generation mobile networks. The PAR mentions a few specific IMT-Advanced targets, such as 100 Mbit/s and high mobility.

TGm conducted a detailed review of the project's technical requirements, based on input from the 802.16m Requirements Drafting Group that had met prior to Session #48 to consolidate contributions. The TG produced an updated draft 802.16m-07/002r1, which will be subject to further comment. Based on its decisions, TGm provided comments to the ITU Liaison Group for its preparation of draft relevant to IMT-Advanced requirements (see below).

TGm also reviewed contributions on evaluation methodology and initiated a drafting group to compile and harmonize proposals for comment.

A closing report and minutes were released.

Update: Call for Comments and Contributions on Project 802.16m Requirements was issued on 9 April, with a deadline of 30 April.
Update: Call for Comments was issued, with a deadline of 3 May, on a Draft 802.16m Evaluation Methodology Document completed by an ad hoc committee on 14 April.

Network Management (NetMan) Task Group
The NetMan Task Group met to address its projects, as detailed below. The Task Group issued a closing report and minutes.

P802.16g Project (Management Plane Procedures and Services)

The NetMan Task Group addressed comments arising during Sponsor Ballot recirculation of draft P802.16g/D8, which closed on 10 March. Following comment resolution, a new draft P802.16g/D9 will be subject to a confirmation recirculation. With the ballot approval standing at 98%, he IEEE 802 Executive Committee (EC) approved a WG request to submit the draft to RevCom for IEEE-SA approval, conditional on appropriate ballot closure.

P802.16i Project (Mobile Management Information Base)

The Task Group resolved comments received in Working Group Letter Ballot #25 regarding P802.16i/D1. P802.16i/D2 has been prepared for Recirculation #25a (13-29 April).

P802.16k Project

Draft P802.16k/D4, to amend IEEE 802.1D for support of 802.16 bridging, was approved as an IEEE standard by the IEEE-SA Standards Board during its meeting of 22 March.

Maintenance Task Group
The Working Group's Maintenance Task Group met to resolve comments received on draft corrigendum P802.16/Cor2/D2 during Working Group Letter Ballot Recirculation #23a. Draft P802.16/Cor2/D3 was prepared for Recirculation #23b (13-29 April).

The Maintenance Task Group was also assigned to review the WG's Project Authorization Request (PAR) to initiate a project for the revision of IEEE Std 802.16, consolidating IEEE Std 802.16-2004, 802.16e, and 802.16f (and, possibly, later amendments), along with maintenance changes. The TG resolved the single comment it received. The 802 EC agreed to forward the resulting PAR to NesCom. The IEEE-SA Standards Board approved the PAR to authorize the project during its meeting of 22 March.

The TG issued a closing report and minutes.

Relay Task Group
The Relay Task Group reviewed comments and contributions regarding its baseline document for the P802.16j project. A closing report and minutes were issued. Subsequently, a Call for Technical Comments was issued. Eight ad hoc groups are progressing the work.

Update: A revised Baseline Document was posted on 11 April.

License-Exempt Task Group
The Working Group's Licensed-Exempt Task Group resolved comments received during WG Letter Ballot Recirculation #24a regarding P802.16h/D2. A further recirculation was not deemed appropriate at this time. Comment resolution will continue. Five ad hoc committees were tasked to resolve pending action items.

A joint meeting on 802.11/802.16 coexistence, particulary in the 3650 MHz band, was held on 13 March, with participation from the 802.11 and 802.16 WGs and the 802.19 Coexistence TAG. Biweekly teleconferences, chaired by the 802.19 Chair, will be initiated on this topic, beginning March 29, April 12, and April 26.

The TG issued a closing report and minutes.

ITU-R Liaison Activities

New ITU-R M.1801 Recommends IEEE 802.16 in the Mobile Service

A notice from ITU-R announced the approval, as of 8 March, of Recommendation ITU-R M.1801 on "Radio interface standards for broadband wireless access systems, including mobile and nomadic applications, in the mobile service operating below 6 GHz." This document, developed by WP 8A in SG8, recommends IEEE Std 802.16 (as well as the compatible ETSI BRAN HIPERMAN standard) for "mobile and nomadic applications in the mobile service." The WG acknowledges the efforts of José Costa, its ITU-R Liaison Official, in helping to bring this important recommendation to a successful conclusion. Note that a previous recommendation, ITU-R F.1763, recommends the use of IEEE 802.16 in the fixed service.

Activities regarding IEEE's proposal to add 802.16-based IP-OFDMA to IMT-2000

• The Working Group, through its ITU-R Liaison Group, hosted the IP-OFDMA Evaluation Group Coordination Meeting on 13-14 March. Dr. José Costa served as Chair. Forty people attended. The meeting prepared a meeting report that was approved by the IEEE 802 EC for contribution to WP 8F.
• The Working Group has opened an IP-OFDMA web page, including a link to an IP-OFDMA discussion forum for further exchange of views and information as the evaluation groups progress their work.
• The Working Group was notified of the initiation of IP-OFDMA evaluation group activity by the Chinese Evaluation Group and by TR-45.AHIMT.
• The IEEE 802 EC approved the 802.16 WG's proposed response to ITU-R Working Party 8F regarding its liaison statement of 13 February on the IP-OFDMA proposal.

IEEE 802.18 TAG Liaison Activities regarding IMT-Advanced

The Working Group cooperated with the IEEE 802.18 TAG in its efforts to develop a consolidated IEEE 802 position for a possible contribution to ITU-R WP 8F regarding IMT-Advanced technical requirements. Following two meetings organized by 802.18, the 802.16 Working Group submitted a liaison contribution to IEEE 802.18, proposing some procedural details and referencing an initial proposal that was developed with input from 802.16's Task Group m. The 802.16 Working Group approved a process to participate in 802.18 activities on this issue up to May 2007; see the Closing Report noted immediately below. The 802.18 TAG subsequently announced a schedule of Thursday conference calls; the 802.16 WG is therefore considering weekly conference calls on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

ITU-R Liaison Group Closing Report

The ITU-R Liaison Group prepared a Closing Report.

Other Liaison Activities

• The Working Group received two liaison statements (L802.16-07/005 and L802.16-07/006) from the ARIB BWA Subcommittee of Japan's Association of Radio Industries and Businesses. That subcomittee appointed Takashi Shono as liaison representative to the 802.16 Working Group. Dr. Shono presented a liaison report. The 802.16 Working Group responded with a liaison statement with notification of the appointment of Michiharu Nakamura as its liaison official to the ARIB BWA Subcommittee.
• The Working Group received a liaison statement from the WiMAX Forum and provided a response.

Working Group and IEEE 802 Issues

• The Working Group Membership rose to 266, from 212.
• The Working Group sends get-well wishes to Carl Stevenson, Chair of the 802.22 WG, who became ill during the 802 Plenary. It is pleased to learn that Mr. Stevenson is currently recovering. Likewise, the Working Group welcomes 802 EC Chair Paul Nikolich back to work following his recent illness.

Future Meetings

• IEEE 802.16's Session #49 will take place in Portland, OR, USA on 7-10 May 2007. Jose Puthenkulam serves as host. Preregistration and hotel reservations are open, with a cutoff date of 15 April 2007.
• IEEE 802.16's Session #50 will take place on 16-19 July 2007 in San Francisco, CA, USA in conjunction with the IEEE 802 Plenary Session.
• IEEE 802.16's Session #51 will take place in Malaga, Spain on 17-20 September 2007. Gordon Antonello serves a host.
• IEEE 802.16's Session #52 will take place on 12-15 November 2007 in Atlanta, GA, USA in conjunction with the IEEE 802 Plenary Session.
• The Working Group accepted a proposal by Carl Eklund to host IEEE 802.16's Session #53 in Levi, Finland on 21-24 January 2008.
• IEEE 802.16's Session #54 will take place on 17-20 March 2008 in conjunction with the IEEE 802 Plenary Session. The likely location is Orlando, FL, USA.
• IEEE 802.16's Session #55 will take place in May 2008. The site is to be determined during Session #50. Proposals are solicited; please see IEEE 802.16 Interim Session Guidelines.

Minutes and Motions
The Working Group minutes are available as IEEE 802.16-07/023.

IEEE 802 Executive Committee Actions
The Working Group's requests at the 802 LMSC Executive Committee meeting of 16 March were approved.

Documents
The Session #48 Document Guide 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.

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 an archive of previous Session Reports. The IEEE 802.16 Interactive Calendar includes sessions and deadlines.

"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.

Roger Marks (r.b.marks@ieee.org)
Chair, IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access Standards