The project with the code name "FIREWORKS" is an IST co-founded project conducted by an ensemble of the most prestigious leading European companies, service providers and universities. The short name "FIREWORKS" stands for FlexIble RElay Wireless OFDM-based netwoRKS.

The objective of FIREWORKS is to design and validate a prototype of the next generation Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) systems based on IEEE 802.16 Standard. The advantage of the FIREWORKS BWA systems will be its ability for fast, scalable and cost-effective network deployment under highly diverse terrain environments with considerably increased coverage and capacity capabilities. Subsequently, FIREWORKS Telecom operators will benefit form reduced investment risks, higher scalability to customer expansion and provision of demanding but profitable services while FIREWORKS End-Users will enjoy ubiquitous access independently from the equipment nature or the communication environment.

The novel technologies of the core FIREWORKS system include Mesh network architecture, flexible Relay-based deployment cross-layer optimisation and co-operative communications. The FIREWORKS outcomes will contribute and follow emerging standardization groups on fixed and mobile mesh, relay and ad-hoc networks (Study group on Mobile Multi-hop Mesh/Relay Networking in IEEE 802.16).