Does the in-home wireless market need another technology that
promises to link together devices ranging from PCs and HDTVs to
cell phones and camcorders?
A group of 17 major consumer electronics, PC, and semiconductor
companies believes the answer is yes and has formed the WiGig
Alliance to use the 60-GHz spectrum to develop a short-range
technology that would connect devices in a large room.
The alliance boasts many prominent high-tech companies, including
Intel, which seems to be spearheading the project, and Atheros,
Broadcom, Dell, LG Electronics, Marvel, MediaTek, Microsoft, NEC,
Nokia, NXP, Panasonic, Realtek, Samsung STMicroelectronics,
Tensorcom, and Wilocity.
The group has said it expects to develop a specification by the end
of the year and some members are predicting that the first consumer
products will begin to appear a year or so after that. Video
downloads and other large transfers of data would likely be a
particularly appealing application, because most existing in-home
wireless technologies are still hampered in that application.
In choosing the 60-GHz unlicensed band, alliance members cited its
general availability on a global basis as well as its capability of
delivering high transfer rates. But the 60-GHz band has a short
range and for it to be effective, it will likely need repeaters,
possibly Wi-Fi devices.
Indeed, Wi-Fi, which is rapidly becoming ubiquitous in homes with
entertainment and electronics devices, could represent both a
blessing and a curse. In-Stat analyst Brian O'Rourke has predicted
that 802.11n technology will dominate the wireless HD market over
the next several years, and he has questioned whether another
wireless technology like WiGig is necessary.
"802.11n is the next generation of the immensely popular Wi-Fi
family," he wrote in a recent research note. "It promises data
rates above 100 Mbps and is backwards compatible. The installed
base of Wi-Fi is immense and effectively includes all mobile PCs,
many mobile phones, and a wide variety of CE devices."
WiGig marketing chairman Mark Grodzinsky of Intel has noted that
the WiGig Alliance expects to work with the IEEE's 802.11n
committee to develop standards in a cooperative manner.
A few companies, including SiBeam, have been developing products in
the 60-GHz band.