1.1.2 First-Generation Broadband Systems

As DSL and cable modems began to be deployed, wireless systems had to evolve to support much higher speeds to be competitive. Systems began to be developed for higher frequencies, such as the 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz bands. Very high speed systems, called local multipoint distribution systems (LMDS), supporting up to several hundreds of megabits per second, were also developed in millimeter wave frequency bands, such as the 24GHz and 39GHz bands. LMDS-based services were targeted at business users and in the late 1990s enjoyed rapid but short-lived success. Problems obtaining access to rooftops for installing antennas, coupled with its shorter-range capabilities, squashed its growth.

Table 1.1 Important Dates in the Development of Broadband Wireless

In the late 1990s, one of the more important deployments of wireless broadband happened in the so-called multichannel multipoint distribution services (MMDS) band at 2.5GHz. The MMDS band was historically used to provide wireless cable broadcast video services, especially in rural areas where cable TV services were not available. The advent of satellite TV ruined the wireless cable business, and operators were looking for alternative ways to use this spectrum. A few operators began to offer one-way wireless Internet-access service, using telephone line as the return path. In September 1998, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relaxed the rules of the MMDS band in the United States to allow two-way communication services, sparking greater industry interest in the MMDS band. MCI WorldCom and Sprint each paid approximately $1 billion to purchase licenses to use the MMDS spectrum, and several companies started developing high-speed fixed wireless solutions for this band.

The first generation of these fixed broadband wireless solutions were deployed using the same towers that served wireless cable subscribers. These towers were typically several hundred feet tall and enabled LOS coverage to distances up to 35 miles, using high-power transmitters. First-generation MMDS systems required that subscribers install at their premises outdoor antennas high enough and pointed toward the tower for a clear LOS transmission path. Sprint and MCI launched two-way wireless broadband services using first-generation MMDS systems in a few markets in early 2000. The outdoor antenna and LOS requirements proved to be significant impediments. Besides, since a fairly large area was being served by a single tower, the capacity of these systems was fairly limited. Similar first-generation LOS systems were deployed internationally in the 3.5GHz band.

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