Enhanced random access and reservation scheme in CDMA2000

The growing demand for high-speed packet data services and multimedia applications over mobile personal communication networks has set new design requirements and objectives for the next generation of air interface protocols. The asymmetric and bursty nature of multimedia packet data traffic, and the variability of data rates, packet sizes, and quality of service requirements make conventional voice-oriented channelization and access protocols inefficient. New media access control and common channel messaging procedures need to be defined to efficiently support concurrent multiple packet- and circuit-switch-based services and their related signaling messages. Specifically, the role of common channels in support of frequent short packet data and signaling transactions is much more significant. This article presents the new enhanced random access and reservation schemes in CDMA2000 as well as related concepts considered in the design of the current and future releases of this air interface standard. The scheme is based on a variation of packet reservation multiple access combined with variable data rate, power control and soft handoff capabilities, formalized within wideband CDMA2000 framework.