The AT&T Labs broadband fixed wireless field experiment

We describe an ongoing broadband fixed two-way wireless field experiment conducted by AT&T Laboratories Research, New Jersey, USA. Our experiment, which is one of the first two-way broadband fixed wireless systems anywhere, offers an end-to-end broadband packet access service, with telecommuting being the primary application for our employee users. It operates in the 2.6 GHz MMDS (Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service) spectrum, and is based on cable modem technology. The lengthy period of operation has allowed us to make observations about user behavior, weather-related channel impairments, and equipment performance. We have identified several issues in the design of cable modem based systems which need to be tailored to the wireless environment. We have measured a significant path loss effect arising from a combination of rain and foliage. We have developed a Web based network monitoring/management tool that greatly enhances the ability to manage, diagnose, and optimize the system