Evolution in broadband wireless access networks

At a time when demand for bandwidth is increasing, due to the heavy utilisation of data networking, as well as the wider adoption of electronic means of commerce and interaction, broadband access provides a solution to the so-called 'last-mile' bottleneck. Networking platforms, such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and Internet protocol (IP) provide a layer for converged services, bundling legacy ones (that is, voice) to new ones (for example, multimedia, video). Broadband wireless brings a quick time-to-market service platform, with an ability to provide a bundle of services, otherwise provided by disparate networks. It is a cost-effective solution, in terms of installation and maintenance, compared to wireline solutions. Furthermore, technological advances have resulted in increased reliability, suitable for QoS demanding platforms. Wireless solutions have suitable mechanisms to make efficient use of the available bandwidth, thus making better economy of resources, which leads to better network utilisation and an increased revenue stream for operators.