A Framework for supporting VoIP Services over the Downlink of an OFDMA Network

The fourth generation of wireless networks (4G) are presently being discussed in standards bodies (3GPP2, 3GPP, 802.16, 802.20) and one common conclusion is that the most appropriate technology for the forward link is orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA). In addition, it is believed that all services (i.e., both real-time services like voice and also data) can be supported over such a channel using an all-IP network. However, even for 3G networks, the efficient support of services such as voice over IP (VoIP) over wireless packet switched channels is still to be verified in the field. In this paper, we look at the issues involved in transporting VoIP over the forward link of an OFDMA network and propose a framework that can address many of these issues. We support our proposals with numerical results