Evaluation and Performance Analysis of Propagation Models for WiMAX

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is the latest broadband wireless technology for terrestrial broadcast services in Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). WiMAX has potential success in its line-of-sight (LOS) and non line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions which operating below 11 GHz frequency. Estimation of path loss is very important in initial deployment of wireless network and cell planning. Numerous path loss (PL) models (e.g. Okumura Model, Hata Model) are available to predict the propagation loss, but they are inclined to be limited to the lower frequency bands (up to 2 GHz. In this paper, we compare and analyze five path loss models (i.e. COST 231 Hata model, ECC-33 model, SUI model, Ericsson model and COST 231 Walfish-Ikegami model) in different receiver antenna heights in urban, suburban and rural environments in NLOS condition. We consider Bangladesh as three regions such: Urban, Suburban, flat area and use operating frequency 2.5 GHz. My observation shows that none of a single propagation model is well suited for all environments. SUI model showed the lowest prediction in urban environment. ECC-33 model showed the heights path loss and also showed huge fluctuations due to change of receiver antenna height. In suburban, SUI model predict the lowest path loss in this terrain with little bit flections at changes of receiver antenna heights. COST-Hata model showed the moderate result and ECC-33 model showed the same path loss as like as urban environment because of same parameters are used in the simulation. In flat or rural, COST 231 Hata model showed the lowest path loss. Keywords-MANs, PL, SUI, NLOS, LOS