All,
We had extensive discussion of this during the MBWA
ECSG and, as Mark mentioned, it is included in the 5 Criteria
document that is associated with this project.
Higher layer issues are important to us even though 802.20
only
defines the MAC
and PHY layers of the standard. Handoff clearly extends beyond the MAC and PHY and we may or
may not need cooperation with other SDOs for the work that
is within 802.20. For example, I
note that some systems are
able to handoff to and from 802.11 without any
modifications to 802.11, so the extent of cooperation needed between
802.20
and
others is not a given. I
agree with Scott
that MBWA will have to exist and coexist in a world of
multiple systems and with handoff among them, including between 802.20 and other
systems as per the ITU-R diagram.
I believe the
key question is what can/should 802.20 do either within its own domain or in
cooperation with other bodies to
promote achievement of that objective in the
most technically efficient manner as possible? We should not undertake any
effort that complicates
the problem further for either 802.20 or any of the other SDOs working on
systems that could be
involved in such a handoff. Surely an MBWA system
would handoff not only to systems that
currently exist, but also to their more evolved varients than are
currently being developed. For example, how would such a project be affected by
harmonization
work between 3GPP and 3GPP2?
Andrew also makes
a good point about the work underway in other bodies,
too.
This is not on the agenda for our May meeting.
Can this be added or maybe its "new business"? I believe that we
should
begin a discussion about how
to address this issue in the context of collaboration with others, as opposed to
a discussion
about what needs to be done technically within
802.20.
Additionally, there seemed to be very few 802.20
representatives involved in the 802 Handoff Call for Interest in
March. There
is now a Handoff ECSG to look at a "cross 802" handoff
project. I continue to believe that approach would complicate
802.20's
task vis a vis work with other (external) SDOs with very little
technical merit. How 802.20 deals with this project (or not)
should
also be a topic for discussion in May. Again, this looks like
"new business".
Finally, in my
humble opinion, while this is an important topic,
our number one priority should be on developing a high performance 802.20
standard. Let us not allow the handoff discussion
de-focus us from the development of the 802.20 air interface
itself.
Handoff is irrelevant in the absence of an exceptional 802.20 system brought to
market in a timely manner.
Best
regards,
Joanne