Plan for faster wireless unveiled

802.11n

[SEOMike]

A new Wi-Fi standard that promises to significantly boost the speed of existing wireless local area networks (WLANs) is being submitted for approval by a consortium of companies looking to take broadband wireless to the next level.
The WWiSE (worldwide spectrum efficiency) group said it has developed technology for review by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11n task group, which is overseeing a next-generation Wi-Fi standard capable of sustaining data throughput exceeding 100Mbps.

WWiSE said that the technology can reach a maximum data-transmission rate of 135 Mbps in the minimum mandatory two-by-two configuration, with rates of up to 540 Mbps through a four-by-four MIMO structure and 40MHz channel width.

In comparison, most 802.11b Wi-Fi networks promise 11 Mbps and deliver about 4 or 5 Mbps, and 801.11g systems promise 54 Mbps and deliver about 24 Mbps.

Full story: [story.news.yahoo.com...]

[pageoneresults]

Wow, what more could a user ask for? At the rate technology is moving, we'll soon be streaming 24/7/365. As if some of you aren't already. ;)

[Lord Majestic]

IMHO its not the raw bandwidth thats the issue, but maximum number of clients that can sensibly connect and transfer at the same time - imagine well populated city center with tens of thousands of people with devices (ie mobiles) that are permanently connected to local WiFi and doing some tasks in background taking advantage of persistent connection.

540Mbit for 10k people is just 54kbit each as well. That said anything that improves wireless communications in unregulated part of spectrum is welcome because due to lack of regulations it means there will be better chance of getting cheap connectivity.