WiMAX networks: From access to service platform

Recently WiMAX has been proposed as an attractive wireless communication technology for providing broadband access for metropolitan areas. Despite its salient features from the technical perspective, the success of the WiMAX network depends on its capability of providing cost-effective solutions for a variety of existing and potential services. To address this issue, we advocate the design of a new network layer that can support multihop communications efficiently in WiMAX networks and that can fully exploit the features of the WiMAX standards. In particular, we first identify services that are important for broadband wireless network providers and investigate the requirements for different services. We then discuss how to design WiMAX networks by considering issues of efficiency, security, and reliability. The key observation is that WiMAX can be properly complemented by advanced connection management and network coding techniques.