ZTE's Mobile WiMAX Solution Leads You Towards Ubiquitous Connectivity

ZTE's WiMAX strength
As people are always on the go, there is a growing need for communications anywhere and anytime. Mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is an emerging and powerful wireless metropolitan network technology that can give people full mobile access. For example, users can watch TV or log onto the Internet when they are traveling in cars. With the flawless combination of broadband and mobility, the WiMAX technology based on the 802.16e mobile version is bringing new challenges as well as new opportunities for the telecommunications sector.

ZTE is active on WiMAX. It has signed a partnership agreement with Intel Corporation to develop and promote standards and specifications for WiMAX networks. It has established three WiMAX R&D centers in America and China since its WiMAX operations began in 2002. It also joined WiMAX Forum as a principal member in 2004, the first China vendor to join this Forum. So far, the company has developed pre-WiMAX, 802.16-2004, and 802.16e systems and owns a growing patent portfolio in the WiMAX field.

As one of the leading players in the global telecom industry, ZTE is well positioned to address the challenges of developing the new wireless broadband technology. Drawing on its proven expertise in IP, mobility, 2G/3G networks, terminals, and services, as well as its real-world experience in the deployments of pre-WiMAX networks, ZTE has developed a complete end-to-end (E2E) Mobile WiMAX solution that can be customized to customers' needs. Its customized solutions include Wireless Broadband Access Solution, 2G/3G Complementary Network Solution, and‘Digital City' Mobile Broadband Metropolitan Solution.

ZTE's WiMAX solutions offer a flexible platform for the delivery of advanced applications. It can be integrated with the existing mobile and wireline access networks, allowing operators to develop new services targeting government, security and other vertical industries on top of their existing business model.

Voice over IP (VoIP) is the key application for WiMAX, which can be bundled with the nomadic/portable broadband data and video services to make an attractive WiMAX triple play. ZTE provides VoIP services over WiMAX through such system components as QoS-capable WiMAX base station equipment (access services node), VoIP-capable WiMAX consumer premise equipment (CPE), AAA server, Softswitch, Media Gateway, Trunking Gateway, and NMS, etc.

ZTE's E2E Mobile WiMAX solution
The ZTE E2E Mobile WiMAX solution includes the access network that consists of the IEEE 802.16-2005 (802.16e)-compliant subscriber device, base station, and access gateway platform; an all-encompassing core network covering the AAA server, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, Softswitch, Media Gateway, billing system, etc.

Its WiMAX base stations adopt a variety of advanced technologies such as Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC), and a flexible sub-channel allocation to increase base station capacity, eliminating the bandwidth bottleneck that prevents the provisioning of high-bandwidth multimedia services in a wireless mobile communication network.

ZTE's WiMAX terminals including desktop CPEs, which is the supplement for DSL as a home gateway; PCMCIA cards which provide wireless Internet access to notebook PC users; and PDAs as well as handset terminals which promote the commercial use of wireless broadband network. These are self-install, self-provisioning devices that deliver over-the-air software upgrade capabilities to users.

As WiMAX is evolving to meet the market needs, the WiMAX Forum is also making efforts to ensure relevant specifications are in place for global deployments of mobile WiMAX networks. Currently, the Networking Group (NWG) of the WiMAX Forum is developing E2E network architecture for WiMAX systems based on the IEEE 802.16 specifications on air interface. The radio access network can be software-upgraded to support full featured portable/mobile services and the subscriber devices should be backward-and forward-compatible. ZTE is working with WiMAX vendor community for driving WiMAX E2E system architecture and specifications.

The ZTE Mobile WiMAX system features high and reliable performance, flexible configuration, and easy maintenance and operation. It is built with security and QoS mechanisms. The cryptographic techniques supported by 802.16e encrypt user traffic and system signaling messages before transmission to ensure data confidentiality and integrity. The system implements QoS at the access network and core network layers. The robust QoS support is one of the key aspects of the ZTE WiMAX system.

Service providers can specify the policy rules concerning subscriber priority, guaranteed bandwidth per subscriber, latency, jitter, etc. The network management system configures these rules, send the configuration changes to various network elements, and enforce policy decisions in real time. The user-traffic scheduling policy that takes RF channel conditions into account, achieves maximization of system throughput by providing high data rates for high-priority services, and ensures fairness by providing minimum data rates for low-tiered services.

The traffic classification scheme is critical for effective QoS management, and allows ZTE WiMAX system to support a variety of user applications with guaranteed QoS. The managed IP services such as streaming, interactive and conversational services are supported with assured QoS, while non-managed/best-effort services such as email, web browsing, Point to Point (PtP) communications, file-downloads, and the likes, are supported with the best possible QoS.

All elements of ZTE's WiMAX solution can be managed by a full featured Telecommunications Management Network (TMN)-based Network Management System. The system can be integrated with the higher layer, third-party NMS/OSS systems.

ZTE has supplied equipment for WiMAX network in China, Eastern Europe and Africa since 2005. As WiMAX is ushering us into a new era of wireless broadband communication, ZTE is well-placed for the WiMAX market that is gaining momentum with a high-profile WiMAX partnership, excellent R&D teams, and reliable end-to-end WiMAX deployment solutions. As a prominent WiMAX protagonist, ZTE will bring a superb broadband access experience to more and more users.