IEEE Creates Operator Identifier Registry for Wireless Metro Area Network Base Stations

October 19, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

The IEEE 802.16 standards for wireless metropolitan area networks provide for a set of unique numbers to identify each base station in such networks.

Each base station in a coordinated IEEE 802.16 network is given a unique 48-bit number that it broadcasts to identify itself, said the IEEE.

The first 24 bits are called the OpID and relate to the network operator. The remaining 24 bits are unique to each station and are assigned by the operator.

The IEEE-RA administers the 24-bit OpID portion. Operators typically need a single OpID but may obtain up to 100 contiguous OpIDs if needed. The 24-bits added by operators can accommodate about 16 million base station IDs, said the IEEE.

There are three typical IEEE 802.16 OpID cases.

The first concerns system operators who need globally unique OpIDs for networks having IEEE 802.16-compliant base stations in one or more countries.

The second is for operators who may want an OpID corresponding to an existing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) E.212 assignment that relates to the mobile country code - mobile network code (MCC-MNC) format of their cellular networks.

The third case applies to networks that do not offer public services and involve a small number of IEEE 802.16 base stations.

The operator, such as a residential user or small enterprise, can adopt a nonunique OpID on their own from a pool of public OpIDs.

For more information on the IEEE 802.16 OpID registry, go to https://standards.ieee.org/regauth/BOPID/IEEERegistrationAuthority_BOPID.html.

Source: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE-SA).