Benefits of adaptive beamforming in WiMAX

SUNNYVALE, USA: Fujitsu Microelectronics America Inc. has co-authored with Cisco a new white paper entitled "Beamforming Boosts the Range and Capacity of WiMAX Networks."

The paper, which describes how adaptive beamforming can magnify the advantages of a WiMAX network, is available at http://us.fujitsu.com/micro/wimax/beamforming.

WiMAX is an affordable technology for transferring large amounts of data reliably and with high throughput. Adaptive beamforming magnifies these advantages by increasing both the range and capacity of a WiMAX network at a relatively low implementation cost. In fact, beamforming reduces both the capital and operating expenses for WiMAX implementations by decreasing the number of base stations and relay stations needed.

Beamforming also significantly improves indoor penetration of wireless broadband signals by mapping the optimal downlink path for signals arriving by multiple pathways from a subscriber device. The result is a high signal-to-noise ratio, which enables the use of higher orders of modulation, with transmission and decoding using 64QAM or other high-order symbols. The reduced interference and higher signals made possible with beamforming translate into faster data downloads and better overall service.

Both Fujitsu and Cisco are committed to using beamforming technology in WiMAX networks and in their WiMAX products as well.

The paper also describes the basics of multiple in/multiple out (MIMO) technology, which can improve wireless data communications. Finally, the paper reviews the history of beamforming and similar technologies, and offers a basic explanation of beamforming alternatives with details on antenna elements.