scope:

SCOPE, PURPOSE AND APPLICATION

This Technical Report provides transmission performance guidelines for digital systems using wireless terminals that can be used to access the Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN). In this report it is assumed that the PSTN transmission and switching is all-digital, end office-to-end office, with analog or digital access. Figure 1 gives a schematic of the generic type of digital wireless system to which these guidelines apply. The goal of these guidelines is to achieve end-to-end quality similar in a broad sense to that achieved within the PSTN, although perhaps qualitatively different due to technology differences. The guidelines provided here can also be applied to any wireless system used for access to the PSTN, but the focus of this report is on digital systems that involve the use of terminals whose output is to a digital radio channel.

At present many wireless technologies are being considered. A major goal of this report is to provide high-level guidance to help in the early stages of determining the choices among various technology alternatives. Accordingly, these guidelines are intended to be technology-independent so as not to preclude the use of any one technology. In a few key areas, technology-specific performance aspects are identified and pertinent guidance is provided. Where necessary, allocations are made to groups of equipment elements according to a generic architecture with associated reference connections.

This report provides transmission guidance for wireless access systems. Future reports may cover the connection establishment, traffic, and availability/survivability performance aspects of PCS.