80216e2005

IEEE 802.16e-2005, often referred to as Mobile WiMAX, is an amendment to the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard that adds mobility support to the wireless MAN (metropolitan area network) air interface. Published in 2005, it extends the fixed wireless access capabilities of 802.16-2004 to mobile user terminals, enabling broadband connectivity while users are moving.

Technically, 802.16e-2005 specifies an OFDMA-based air interface for both downlink and uplink, along with support for multiple antenna configurations, such as MIMO, and adaptive modulation and coding to accommodate varying channel conditions. It provides flexible channel bandwidth options and mechanisms for dynamic bandwidth allocation, Quality of Service, and scheduling to support different service classes. The MAC layer includes enhancements for mobility management, ranging, handover, and security, aiming to maintain connections as devices move between base stations.

Mobility and power management features are central to 802.16e-2005. The standard supports handover between base stations or sectors, fast handover procedures, and paging to locate mobile devices. It also introduces power-saving mechanisms in terminals, such as sleep modes, to extend battery life in idle or low-activity conditions. These capabilities collectively enable more practical broadband access for portable and moving users.

Deployment and legacy: 802.16e-2005 popularized the term Mobile WiMAX and was adopted by various service providers in the late 2000s. While it contributed to early mobile broadband deployments, many networks later transitioned to newer technologies, notably LTE. The 802.16 family continued with subsequent revisions and new generations, such as 802.16m, to address evolving requirements.