Course Description:

This course is a four-day Boot Camp event, which covers all of the necessary topics to prepare a technical student to take the WiMAX Forum® RF Network Engineer™ certification exam.

This course is targeted at students who are planning a WiMAX deployment, and who need the skills to design the network, balancing the requirements of service quality (including throughput and performance) with minimum capital and operations cost. The emphasis is on the design of the RF access network, including base station engineering and siting, and propagation analysis to serve fixed and mobile subscriber stations.

Course length: 4 days

WiMAX Professional Certification proves that you have the skills to design, install, or operate WiMAX networks. Move your career ahead by distinguishing yourself in the wireless industry with a WiMAX professional certification.

Module 1: WiMAX Network Design Options

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• List six applications of WiMAX technology

• Match each application to its WiMAX specification, frequency band, and architecture

• Describe five 802.16e mobile WiMAX enhancements

Module 2: Review of RF Fundamentals

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Calculate power levels in dBm, Watts and µV/m

• Apply Nyquist and Shannon observations to calculations of the bandwidth of channels, and to WiMAX’s adaptive modulation and coding

Module 3: Antennas for WiMAX

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• List three antenna diversity techniques

• Describe the operations of two types of MIMO systems and two types of

• Advanced Antenna Systems

Module 4: RF Design Considerations for WiMAX

• Describe the sources of noise based on bandwidth and operating frequency

• Determine the system noise floor based on bandwidth and Noise Figure

• Determine system performance based on C/N and Eb/No

Module 5: Performing a WiMAX Link Budget

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Determine LOS and NLOS Maximum Allowable Path Loss (MAPL) based on system parameters

• Determine power settings for a balanced path

• Use spreadsheets to design for specified lognormal fading probability

• Perform a link budget based on manufacturer’s equipment parameters and system requirements

Module 6: WiMAX Path Loss Modeling

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Determine expected point-to-point link performance using an analytical path loss model

• Calculate expected NLOS performance using an empirical path loss model

• Determine the amount of margin required, based on log-normal fading

Module 7: Frequency Reuse in Fixed and Mobile WiMAX Networks

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Design the frequency reuse plan for your WiMAX network, working with your equipment vendor
• Diagram FUSC and PUSC permutation zones
• Discuss several reuse proposals for mobile WiMAX networks

Module 8: WiMAX Performance and Coverage Considerations

At the end of this lesson you should be able to:

• Explain and follow each step of DoceoTech’s WiMAX Three- Phase Network Design process
• List eight WiMAX-specific network design considerations
• Model a flat-earth WiMAX network with the DoceoTech Design spreadsheet, and determine sensitivity of the estimated economic payback to changes in market and technical factors
• Determine site selection criteria
• Determine cell density required for a desired level of service, performance, and coverage.
• Choose backhaul options to support throughput requirements

Module 9: WiMAX Coverage and Performance Planning with modeling tools

At the end of this lesson you should be able to:

• Employ a modeling tool to prepare an RF plan for your network in a three-part case study
• Illustrate the effect of frequency, power, terrain, clutter and CPE location on coverage
• Import terrain and clutter databases
• List options for accommodating system and subscriber growth

Module 10: Capacity Design, and Oversubscription

At the end of this lesson you should be able to:

• Mathematically relate oversubscription and subscriber quality of service
• Validate vendor design rules for capacity planning

End of day 4: In-class Certification Testing Opportunity

Boot Camp practical experience and certification testing

The boot camp is structured as 50% tutorial content, and 50% hands-on exercises, illustrated with case studies. Through a special arrangement with EDX Wireless, a demonstration copy of the EDX SignalPro® software tool, including the Network Design Module, is provided to each student, and used for in-class exercises. You’ll have the experience of designing the RF network for a sample WiMAX-served community. Ten spreadsheet tools are provided to enhance hands-on experience. Bring your laptop, or arrange in advance for WiMAX University to provide one for you. At the end of the four-day boot camp, students will have the opportunity to complete the proctored WiMAX RF Network Designer™ certification exam.

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