8. Future Wireless Networking Technologies

Updated April 2003

The wireless networking market is evolving at a rapid pace, with many new technologies being announced in late 2001, early 2002. In this section, we'll touch on some of the wireless networking technologies that have been announced, but aren't shipping yet.

802.11h Updated September 2002

This standard is intended to resolve the conflicts between 802.11a and Europe's HiperLAN2, primarily in the areas of transmit power control and looking out for other networks. It's an extension standard to 802.11a and work in progress with no firm completion date.

UltraWideBand (UWB) Updated August 2002

Although this technology has been around since the 1960's, UWB seems to have recently captured the imagination of many folks who closely follow the wireless networking market. UWB's appeal is high bandwidth with very low power, and has been used in some radar applications to date. The technology has been controversial, however, with some groups concerned that the signals could interfere with other wireless services.

Despite these concerns, the FCC approved UWB for commercial use in late Feb 2002. In a nod to the concerns mentioned above, however, the FCC set limits on the frequencies that UWB devices could use, avoiding frequencies used by the military and GPS devices.

Although UWB devices are said to be capable of high bandwidth (up to 100Mbps), their range is said to be more like Bluetooth's (about 30 feet). Because commercial products are still on the drawing boards, the hype surrounding the technology is pretty strong. Chipmaker XtremeSpectrum, who in June 2002 announced shipment of their Trinity chipset reference design to select OEMs, is a good example. Calling the Trinity chipset "Moore's Law radio", XtremeSpectrum is aiming for the wireless video/multimedia market, having shown six simultaneous MPEG2 streams (each running at a rate "up to 12Mbps") in a July 2002 demonstration. Other applications include position location devices, radar, and secure communications. Don't expect commercial products, however, until mid to late 2003.

ZigBee (802.15.4) Added April 2003

ZigBee is a "Personal Area Network" (PAN) technology that is similar in purpose to Bluetooth, but that operates at about 1/4 Bluetooth's 1Mbps maximum data rate, and consumes very low power. The official IEEE 802.15 Task Group 4 website puts it this way:

... a low data rate solution with multi-month to multi-year battery life and very low complexity. It is intended to operate in an unlicensed, international frequency band. Potential applications are sensors, interactive toys, smart badges, remote controls, and home automation.

Wireless MAN / WiMAX (802.16/16a) Added April 2003

You won't see this technology used in a wireless LAN, but more likely to provide a wireless connection between your ISP and your home or office. One of the claims to fame of the newer 802.16a flavor is that is doesn't need the line-of-sight connection that most wireless LAN technologies require for long-range links. Check the IEEE 802.16 Working Group website for more info.