"Our role is to make sure you can take your notebook everywhere you go, and wherever there is a network deployed, you can access it wirelessly. Our strategy is to make sure the fundamental technology and products and building blocks are cost-effective enough so that people will deploy [broadband wireless] networks around the world."
—James A. Johnson, Vice President, Intel Communications Group General Manager, Wireless Networking Group
James A. Johnson, Vice President, Intel Communications Group and General Manager, Wireless Networking Group, recently explained how quickly WiMAX technology has grabbed the attention of the industry and is gaining traction among developers. Mr. Johnson also discussed the role of Intel in developing WiMAX standards, ensuring interoperability among manufacturers, and delivering leading-edge silicon for the next generation of wireless computing devices.
WiMAX: Wireless Broadband for the World
Q:
What is WiMAX?
A:
WiMAX technology involves microwaves for the transfer of data wirelessly. It can be used for high-speed, wireless networking at distances up to a few miles. The term WiMAX comes from 'Wireless (Wi) Microwave Access (MA).' WiMAX is very similar to Wi-Fi in that it uses the same core technology of wireless modulation developed way back in the '60's and '70's. It's called OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing), for those that care about the technical terms.
The real benefit of WiMAX technology is that you can run signals very, very close to each other on wireless channels. You can have super narrow lanes, so you can put a lot of traffic over them and they don't disrupt each other.
Q:
How is WiMAX different from Wi-Fi?
A:
Although the fundamental technology is the same, over time we can add levels of sophistication to WiMAX. Wi-Fi channels occupy a fixed width of the spectrum. But with WiMAX, we're going to enable the traffic lanes – or channels – to get smaller and narrower. This helps service providers seeking to offer wireless last-mile DSL or cable-type service because they can provide a narrower channel that uses less bandwidth and serve more users. You can take what used to be a fixed Wi-Fi lane and make a bunch more lanes and serve more people.
The other big difference between Wi-Fi and WiMAX – starting right away – is that we're going to use licensed spectrum to deliver WiMAX. To date, all Wi-Fi technology has been delivered in unlicensed spectrum. WiMAX will use one of the unlicensed frequencies, but we're also supporting two other frequencies that are licensed. What that means is that you can turn up the output power and broadcast longer distances. So where Wi-Fi is something that is measured in hundreds of feet, usually WiMAX will have a very good value proposition and bandwidth up to several miles.
Also WiMAX is designed to be a carrier-grade technology, which requires a higher level of reliability and quality of service than are now available in typical Wi-Fi implementations.
Those fundamental differences make WiMAX more of a metropolitan area access technology versus hotspot.
Q:
What is the WiMAX standard and when will it be published?
A:
We are now in testing and trial of the 802.16-2004 standard, which is the fixed, point-to-multi point broadband wireless access version of WiMAX. The first generation of the technology will allow service providers to deploy fixed broadband services (similar to DSL or cable). We expect to see commercial trials of that standard in the second half of this year. Based on our development schedule, we believe Intel will have first silicon position for 802.16-2004 WiMAX premise equipment – the WiMAX units that get installed at the consumer's home or office.
Later this year we will publish 802.16e, which some people call the 'portable' or 'nomadic' phase of WiMAX. It will offer broadband connectivity similar to Wi-Fi. When you use a notebook in a hotspot or in a building, you'll be able to move around at pedestrian speeds and maintain your broadband connection. Because the 802.16e standard is already largely defined, we plan to deliver our silicon solution at roughly the same time the standard gets published, which will allow deployment either in a trial basis or some commercialization in late 2006. So 'nomadic phase' will roll out about a year after the fixed phase.
Solutions built on the first generation of 802.16e in 2006 won't allow for the fast hand-off like you're used to with a cell phone. The true mobility – which most people think of as high speed roaming and fast hand off – will be ready roughly a year later, in late 2007.
Q:
What will users be able to do via WiMAX that they can't do with existing technologies?
A:
There are areas of the world - especially in emerging markets and rural areas - where deploying wired broadband infrastructure is not cost effective. WiMAX is very cost effective technology to quickly deploy in the regions which otherwise would not have broadband access. So WiMAX helps spread broadband to more users more quickly than existing technologies.
Another benefit of WiMAX is the ability to get higher connection speeds farther away from the transmitter. Right now you can get a really high speed connection in Wi-Fi close to the transmitter. The other option is that you can get a pretty slow Internet connection using a cellular technology, which spans a greater distance. WiMAX fits between those two offerings. You'll get speeds similar to close-up Wi-Fi connections out to several miles away from the transmitter.
WiMAX will also be much easier to install, which makes it more cost-effective for service providers and hopefully some of those savings will accrue to users. For example, with 802.16-2004, service providers will be able to offer users last mile access with an external antenna mount. Shortly thereafter we expect to offer that same service so people can put that antenna inside on their desk near their window. Either way, it's easier to install than Wi-Fi, which requires precise alignment between access points. Our goal here is to enable self installation.
When 802.16e comes out in 2006, the improvements become more obvious. This is where we're adding scalability and multi-access capabilities to the fixed OFDM technology. We'll make the channels scalable and the lanes different sizes to extend broadband wireless access across a larger geography. As I mentioned earlier, fixed wireless access is known as OFDM, and the industry term for this scalable technology is SOFDMA – or Scalable OFDM Multi-Access. From the technical side, it's a pretty big change. So it's very similar in concept to today's more evolved, multi-access cellular technologies.
Q:
How does WiMAX compare to 3G?
A:
3G has been built on the foundation of a voice network. And the 3G community is adding data capability to it. Our objective for WiMAX 802.16e is to be a high speed data service that can be used to extend and complement 3G service. We know of several 3G service providers that are worried that as data use grows they will not have enough spectrum for both their voice customers and their data customers. So they're interested in WiMAX as a complementary data service technology that they can deploy with their 3G voice service. So essentially, WiMAX is very targeted for wireless data, not wireless voice.
There's another big difference between WiMAX and cellular technologies in general. Cellular grew up – more or less – where the whole system was architected from the network and base station all the way out to the client – typically the phone – and different vendors' equipment didn't necessarily work together. Eventually there were a lot of separate networks. Roaming agreements have been put in place, so that more so and more so you can work on other people's networks, although you'll be charged extra for it. With WiMAX we're working to get that type of interoperability and more - from Day One. That means if you buy a client made out of silicon by Intel, you could use it on several different networks even if the base stations are provided by different companies.
Q:
Intel is said to be working toward a future of "anywhere, anytime connectivity". Where does WiMAX fit into this vision?
A:
Today, Wi-Fi kind of lives by what we call the "five minute rule." If you live in a city, most likely you can walk five minutes and find a hotspot. Or if you're in your car in the suburbs or a village, you can usually drive within five minutes and find one of those. With WiMAX we're trying to offer that same type of service without having to drive or walk five minutes. Eventually, you can just open your notebook and get a connection, wherever you may be.
When WiMAX is fully developed, you'll no longer be limited to 300 feet within the Wi-Fi hotspot. And you won't have to drive around looking for a connection. Even though it's only five minutes, it's still five minutes, and that's just not as natural as getting a connection anywhere.
When people have a broadband connection they tend to use their computer more, they leave it on and they integrate it more into their lifestyle. WiMAX technology extends the range of broadband wireless access to more users in more geographies. This happens first with last mile connections where anyone wants them, and eventually in notebook mode for mobility. We believe WiMAX can be deployed in any metro area, using the licensed spectrum that we are working with today, and it moves around the world.
Q:
What will it take to put WiMAX out around the world?
A:
We really only need to make sure we have access to spectrum – the same frequencies – all the way around the world. We're specifically working on three frequencies for WiMAX deployment worldwide. 5.8 GHz unlicensed is the same spectrum as Wi-Fi, and so all the benefits of that Wi-Fi spectrum can be made available with WiMAX technology. However, because it's unlicensed, we'll be limited on the distance we'll be able to transmit. In the licensed frequencies we've targeted for WiMAX – 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz. The WiMAX community and Intel are working with various governments around the world to allow the use of WiMAX in this spectrum.
Q:
What is Intel doing to support the development of the WiMAX communications standard?
A:
Intel is one of the primary leaders in the development of WiMAX standards. At the first level, the IEEE standard is known as 802.16-2004 and eventually 802.16e. We're very active in leading that standard development effort, which has grown quite a bit. There's another standards body called the WiMAX Forum, which will drive interoperability and some of the standards in terms of network capability above the IEEE standard. One of Intel's managers is the president of the WiMAX Forum, which has grown to over 200 companies, with some of the biggest names in communications you'd expect. We are seeding that body with a WiMAX network using the first draft ratified by several Forum members. Included in that network are the pre-published standards for network security, roaming, and those types of capabilities that actually make it a workable solution.
The broadband wireless industry's been around for about 10 years doing proprietary implementations, so it's really not that different to bring it out in standards. By introducing standards to broadband wireless technology – via the 802.16 standards – we will bring the cost of equipment down and make it more universally available. What Intel is bringing to the party are open standards, which means interoperability and traditionally lower cost equipment. And we're also delivering silicon integration, which also delivers lower cost equipment.
Q:
What products and technologies does Intel have planned to support WiMAX-based computing?
A:
In September of 2004 we announced our first WiMAX silicon code named Rosedale, and we began sampling to OEMs at that time. Our 802-16-2004-based silicon solutions are focused on the premise equipment. Most of these equipment manufacturers have been making products using proprietary wireless broadband access technology for quite some time, and they already had their base station and transmitter solutions underway. So our role there is to develop lower cost premises equipment and make sure it interoperates with the base station as part of the standard. So that silicon is in lab trials at all of our OEMs today. And we expect that to turn into commercial solutions the middle of next year.
When 802.16e is ready, Intel will develop silicon again for premise equipment as well as notebooks as part of Intel Centrino mobile technology. We also plan to develop silicon for the neighborhood transmitters. As you deploy out a metro area, we believe there will be many, many smaller transmitters that might be situated on lampposts or on the top of neighborhood buildings. We'll offer the silicon and software solution for those devices. And we'll work for larger base station companies as they develop their larger transmitters that they usually use in cellular technology.
Q:
What are some of the challenges for WiMAX moving forward?
A:
In terms of challenges, we've talked about some already. Number one is spectrum. We're pretty optimistic. There still is work to do, but we're committed to do it.
Another challenge is meeting people's expectations. There is a lot of excitement for WiMAX now – ahead of the standard, ahead of products, and ahead of the deployments. There's as much excitement now for WiMAX as there is for Wi-Fi, even though Wi-Fi has been around for about eight or nine years. I think our biggest challenge at Intel is to manage this excitement so that the industry doesn't get discouraged. We'll continue reinforcing the timeline for WiMAX, clearly explaining what is going to be available and when it will be available. We believe WiMAX is on a very fast track, and it will continue to add more and more capability every generation. But it will take time to get these capabilities to where service providers and users can really benefit. And that's why we continue to talk about our three-phase rollout and implementation.
Lastly, our mission is a global standard, so that we can deliver a global SKU as part of Intel Centrino mobile technology, so that similar to Wi-Fi, you can get a connection regardless of who made the network and the equipment. We want the same thing with WiMAX. You won't need to carry four network cards as you travel around the world. That's the goal, but there's a lot of work to make that the reality.
About James A. Johnson
James A. Johnson is Vice President, Intel Communications Group, and General Manager, Wireless Networking Group. In this capacity Johnson leads the team that is responsible for the architecture, design, development and marketing of Intel's Wireless LAN and WiMAX solutions.
Prior to his current position, Johnson was General Manager of Intel's Platform Networking group and held various engineering and management assignments in the Technology and Manufacturing Group and the Networking and Communications Group. Johnson was on the team that launched Intel into the networking business. He was responsible for the initial production of networking products and manufacturing ramp at sites in the United States and Puerto Rico. Other positions held include Plant Manager for Intel's PC and server manufacturing plants worldwide and General Manager for three different networking and communications businesses.
Johnson joined Intel in 1984 after receiving his bachelor's degree with honors in industrial engineering from Oregon State University in 1984. Johnson sits on the advisory board for Oregon State University's College of Engineering.
