Millimeter radio access to multimedia services via LMDS

We consider broadband access to advanced services including interactive video on demand (IVOD) via a radio network operating in the mm-wavelength radio spectrum (28 GHz). The LMDS (local multipoint distribution service in 27.5-28.35 GHz and 29.1-29.25 GHz bands) was suggested by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to offer broadband two-way communication including video distribution, teleconferencing and data services. It uses a cellular system design to establish coverage areas and provide high capacity communication links to the supported subscribers. A common ATM-based platform in combination with the above cellular architecture could provide the basis to integrate both wireless and wired networks and as such, it should be the preferred transport mechanism to be deployed. Given the above objective, a number of issues related to the cellular architecture and the system design are subsequently examined