In a time division multiplex access asynchronous transfer mode wireless network
wherein network interface units (NIUs) are connected to a base transceiver station
(BTS) by way of a radio frequency (RF) wireless link comprising time slots which
are grouped into frames, there is presently no method or apparatus to allow dynamic
bandwidth allocation while maintaining a minimum bandwidth allocation to NIUs.
Using a combined Guaranteed Bandwidth Allocation (GBA) scheme with a Dynamic Bandwidth
Allocation (DBA) scheme, a configurable number of time slots can be permanently
assigned to an NIU using GBA while the NIU can request additional timeslots using
DBA. Using a queue occupancy threshold and a queuing delay threshold, the DBA scheme
takes into account the GBA time slots which have been allocated, so that time slots
are not unnecessarily requested by an NIU. At the BTS level, a time slot manager
utilizes a frame look ahead procedure to allocate time slots based on the queue
occupancy forwarded from the NIU. Additionally, a configurable parameter is defined
which reflects the level of traffic in an NIU, to allow pro rated allocation of
time slots.