Summary report of the March 1999 meeting of IEEE P802.11

Our March 1999 meeting was held in conjunction with the Plenary of IEEE 802 (LAN/MAN Standards Committee or LMSC) at the Hyatt Regency Austin, Austin, Texas. Seventy two attendees were registered, about twelve attending the Study Group for WPAN.

This was the first real paperless meeting of the working group. Members and observers could obtain the documents through a real multivendor 802.11 wireless  network from a server, or they could copy the files from one of the two flash cards "hanging" at helium balloons to prevent loss of the small cards. 

Work in the 5 GHz band

The Task Group working on the high data-rate extension in the 5 GHz band, project 802.11a, was able to produce a new draft standard that has the support of all members! It is ready for presentation to the ballot group at a higher level, the LMSC Sponsor Ballot group.

However, before sending the draft to the Sponsor Ballot group, we will send the draft for a recirculation letter ballot to the working group to verify whether the changes made in the draft could have changed a vote to disapprove. The LMSC Executive Committee approved the submission of the draft to LMSC ballot, subject to successful completion of the wg recirculation ballot. The plan is to start the LMSC ballot on April 1 and close the ballot on May 2, 1999.

The draft 802.11a standard is based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) to modulate the data. OFDM enables the utilization of wide band signals in an environment where reflected signals would otherwise disable the receiver to recover the data from the received signal.

The specifications of the Physical Layer encompass data rates from 6 Mbit/s up to 54 Mbit/s, with 20 MHz spacing between adjacent channels. All implementations are required to support 6, 12 and 24 Mbit/s. Optional extensions are for 9, 18, 36, 48 and 54Mbit/s. The range of data rates is provided to match the wide range of radio channel characteristics in both indoor and outdoor environments. The multirate mechanism of the MAC protocol ensures that all devices communicate with each other at the best data rate in the present channel.

The editor will implement the agreements which were reached this week into Draft D3.x, which will be sent out for Working Group, Reconfirmation, Letter Ballot.

Work in the 2.45 GHz band

The Task Group working on the extension of the 1 and 2 Mbit/s data rates in the 2.45 GHz band with 5.5 and 11 Mbit/s has produced a new draft that has the support of 93 % of the members of 802.11. (75 % is required, but the IEEE is looking for the highest level of consensus) In telephone calls to two of the three disapproving members, one could not be reached, it was clear that the group could not satisfy their concerns. Therefore 802.11 will send the draft to the ballot group at a higher level, the LMSC Sponsor Ballot group.

However, before sending the draft to the Sponsor Ballot group, we will send the draft for a recirculation letter ballot to the working group to verify whether the changes made in the draft could have changed a vote to disapprove. The LMSC Executive Committee approved the submission of the draft to LMSC ballot, subject to successful completion of the wg recirculation ballot. The plan is to start the LMSC ballot on April 1 and close the ballot on May 2, 1999.

The modulation used is Complementary Code Keying (CCK). CCK is the mandatory mode of operation for the (draft) standard, it is derived from the Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology. The multirate mechanism of the Medium Access Control (MAC) warrants that the 11 Mbit/s operation can switch back to 5.5 Mbit/s if the radio channel is below the required value because of the distance between the stations or because of interference. Stations that are even further away could switch back to the 2 and 1 Mbit/s capablities of the DSSS modultaion.

The editor for this project already produced the new draft. As soon as the Working Group, Reconfirmation, Ballot material is ready, we will make the draft available to the . So far the new draft is supported by 81 % of the members.

Regulatory issues in the 2.45 GHz band

The FCC has sent out a Proposed Rule Making (Docket No. 98-42) proposing to allow lighting devices in the 2.45 GHz band which employ magnetrons as sources of RF energy to excite the light emitting material. The part 15 industry has objected towards the unrestricted levels of in-band emissions from those devices. Under the auspices of the FCC, the part 15 industry and lighting industry are discussing a way to warrant operation of communication devices in the proximity of RF lighting devcies. The LMSC Executive Committee has approved to send a new letter to the FCC.

Wireless Personal Area Networks

The WG, recirculation letter ballot on the Project Authorization Request (PAR) and 5 Criteria, as proposed by the Study Group on Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN) resulted in a 90 percent overall approval. At the present meeting, the debate whether the WPAN subject would be handled within 802.11 or a new working group resulted in the LMSC Executive Committee decision to form a new working group. The Standards Board will make their decision at their March 1999 meeting.

So we now have a new working group designated IEEE 802.15!

The new working group plans to hold its meetings collocated with IEEE 802.11 and has planned an WPAN management meeting (May 5-6, 1999) at the 802.11 Interim meeting in Japan,

Revision of IEEE Std. 802.11-1997

Although not discussed at the March meeting, the revision of the standard will be submitted to the Standards Board for approval at their March meeting.

Invitation for joining Sponsor Ballot Groups

This group is being formed and should be complete by the end of March. Invitations to ballot has been sent out, later followed by the cover letters, warning the potential members that the ballot will be an electronic ballot. Last minute requests for participation should be sent by e-mail to c.buonfiglio@ieee.org. But the closing date is March 31, 1999.