Wireless networking recently received a boost from the Federal Communications Commission, which said it was proposing new rules regarding frequency hopping spread spectrum systems operating in the 2.4 GHz band that would allow faster data rates than currently available.
The move is expected to allow the most prevalent 2.4 GHz wireless networking technology, known as 802.11b, to more than double its current maximum data rates from 11 megabits per second to as much as 24 Mbps.
“The [Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers] prompted the FCC to re-evaluate the rules in regards to new technology,” said Teik-Kheong Tan, manager of business development and standards issues for 3Com. “There are a lot of new technologies out there that are waiting to get their foot in the door and the FCC does not want to get in the way of that advancement.”
Tan added he expected the decision to be a new lease on life for 802.11b.
According to the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance, a non-profit organization formed in 1999 to certify interoperability of 802.11b products, the move will solidify 802.11b’s position as the leading wireless networking technology. Products meeting WECA’s interoperability standards are often given the Wi-Fi label. WECA recently reported there were more than 100 products on the market certified by the organization.
“At this point, there are no credible competing wireless [local area network] technologies in the 2.4 GHz band left to challenge W-Fi,” said David Cohen, acting marketing chairman of WECA. “W-Fi has truly become an international technological phenomenon.”
While this is good news for supporters of 802.11b, it may spell trouble for rival networking standards, including HomeRF, which also operates in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed spectrum band, and 802.11a, which operates in the 5 GHz spectrum band at speeds up to 72 Mbps. Bluetooth, which also operates in the increasingly overcrowded 2.4 GHz space, is not expected to benefit from the FCC rule, and does not directly compete with the other higher-speed standards.
For HomeRF, which was originally intended for home wireless networking needs, the higher speeds attainable by 802.11b may see its tenuous market share shrink even further. The technology, which recently received permission from the FCC to upgrade its networking speeds from 2 Mbps to 10 Mbps, has industry support from more than 90 companies, including Compaq Computer Corp., Motorola Inc. and Proxim. Intel Corp., which was one of HomeRF’s original proponents, jumped ship earlier this year to 802.11b, further degrading HomeRF’s reception in the marketplace.
“Although the HomeRF camp believes it has an edge in the home market, in our opinion, it appears that momentum is behind 802.11b to be the leading short-range wireless technology in the home market,” Lehman Brothers said in a recent wireless LAN report.
Even with its clear advantage in throughput, 802.11a is also expected to feel the effects of 802.11b’s new speed.
“I think that the new speeds would make it much harder for 802.11a to gain market acceptance,” said Wai Sing Lee, wireless networking industry analyst with Frost & Sullivan. “There are simply too many vendors who are aligned with the [Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance] and it’s doubtful they would make the switch over to 802.11a if they believe that 802.11b has been made adequately competitive with the speed extensions.”
Another concern with 802.11a is the timeframe for solutions to become commercially available. Companies supporting the technology, including Radiata Inc.-which was recently purchased by Cisco- and Atheros Communications, do not expect semiconductor solutions to become available until later this year. Cisco has said companies should not forego installing 802.11b networks while waiting for 802.11a to finally hit the market.
“We expect that 802.11b will become a standard feature in many computers over the next several years before 802.11a becomes mainstream,” said Charlie Giancarlo, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco’s commercial line of business. “802.11b will be very attractive to many companies and those using it will realize immediate benefits. And they will certainly have a head start over companies that wait.”
Even with its immediate availability, Lee noted some companies might opt to wait for 802.11a and its greater network speeds.
“Leaving aside the fact that the majority of people will not notice the difference in speed when it comes to everyday use, people still want the latest and greatest if they can afford it,” Lee said.
The 802.11a camp will also have to deal with HiperLan2, a competing standard defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, and based on the same Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing physical layer in the 5 GHz band. In addition to strong support in Europe, HiperLan2 allows isochronous video streaming for High-Definition Television.
“There are different regulations governing 5 GHz technology in different parts of the world, and consequently, inconsistent standards have been introduced to accommodate these rules,” said Jan ten Sythoff, program manager at Frost & Sullivan. “The lack of standardization will continue to inhibit growth in the 5 GHz space.”
3Com’s Tan said that even if 802.11a makes an appearance by the end of the year, it may be too little too late.
“Timing to market is very key,” Tan said. “If [IEEE] can approve a standard [for 802.11b] by their upcoming July meeting, it will close the window for 802.11a. But, if it delays, 802.11a could take market share from 802.11b.”
This summer might prove to be a very interesting for the future hopes of wireless networking.
