Next-generation Wi-Fi is coming soon, but 'let the buyer beware'
17 May 2006
News
The 802.11n Wi-Fi standard holds the promise of enabling a new generation of networking applications including multimedia distribution within the home and very high-speed data connectivity. In March 2006, a new draft 11n Draft Specification was approved, and chipset vendors and equipment makers are now gearing up for a new wave of market growth. However, the road ahead is full of pitfalls, according to ABI Research, and early adopters should heed the warning to 'let the buyer beware' until final ratification of the standard in 2007.
"The 11n Draft Specification was the starting gun for 802.11 chipset vendors," comments Alan Varghese, ABI's principal analyst for wireless semiconductors. Varghese adds that the leading chipset companies in the 802.11 standards such as Broadcom, Atheros, Intel, Marvell, Texas Instruments, and Conexant will now join incumbent Airgo Networks in a race to provide solutions for this incipient market. Shipments of current-generation 802.11g ICs have taken the world by storm, hitting 150 million units this year, and manufacturers expect a much larger available market for 802.11n given the broader set of consumer electronics and networking applications that will be enabled by average data speeds of 150 Mbps and peak speeds of 600 Mbps.
But though the Draft form has had consensus, the specification still leaves many options open to interpretation and implementation. Will there be 11n Draft chipsets and devices available in the market in 2006? According to Varghese, the answer is yes. "But," he cautions, "there will be wide variability between them, and true interoperability between vendors is still wishful thinking. So consumers and business users should be wary about their purchases, at least till final ratification of the standard, which is expected sometime in 2007."
Further reading:
Altron celebrates 60th birthday with a call to rebuild Johannesburg
Altron Arrow
News
Altron is celebrating its 60th birthday by honouring Johannesburg’s heritage and encouraging business, government and civil society to come together and respond to our President’s call to rebuild Johannesburg.
Read more...
Electronic News Digest
News
A brief synopsis of current global news relating to the electronic engineering fields with regards to company finances, general company news, and engineering technologies.
Read more...
Jemstech to produce PCB assemblies for Kamstrup
Jemstech
News
Jemstech is pleased to announce that they have successfully concluded a supplier agreement with Kamstrup A/S in Denmark, a leading supplier of intelligent metering solutions in the global market.
Read more...
New appointments at Hiconnex
Hiconnex
News
Hiconnex, a leading provider of electronic components and solutions, has announced key appointments to support its continued growth and commitments to its clients.
Read more...
FoundriesFactory service more affordable for smaller OEMs
News
Foundries.io has announced a new, tiered pricing scheme which reduces the cost of its highly regarded FoundriesFactory service for OEMs in the development phase of a new edge AI or Linux OS-based product.
Read more...
DMASS 2024 results
News
The semiconductor business faced a severe downturn, with a 31,9% decrease compared to 2023 and a 30,3% drop in Q4 2024 compared to the same period last year.
Read more...
Using satellite comms to end copper theft
News
According to Transnet COO Solly Letsoalo, the scourge of copper theft could be a thing of the past by eliminating the use of copper cabling and switching to a satellite communication system.
Read more...
Strategic merger: Etion Create and Nanoteq
Etion Create
News
Reunert has announced the successful merger of two business units within the Applied Electronics Segment, namely Etion Create and Nanoteq, effective 1 October 2024.
Read more...
Securex South Africa 2025
Specialised Exhibitions
News
Securex South Africa 2025 is co-located with A-OSH EXPO, Facilities Management Expo, and Firexpo to provide a time-saver for visitors looking for holistic solutions for their facilities.
Read more...
Chinese AI causes Silicon Valley stocks to tumble
News
Many stocks took a downward spike, with Nvidia being the hardest hit, losing 16,9% after one day’s trading.
Read more...
printer friendly version