To the Editor:
I just read the article “Connecting dots draw future of wireless” in the May 23 issue. In the article, the section on 802.15.3a states that “Both sides are backed by major vendors …” This is misleading. The article implies that these two camps are comparable in their ability to create a UWB ecosystem and market, and that simply isn’t the case. One can only say that Freescale has demonstrated the ability to get enough voters to IEEE meetings to keep the groups entangled and the process stalled.
The WiMedia/MBOA alliance is made up of nine of the top 10 semiconductor companies, and also includes Microsoft as well as most of the major consumer electronics companies (Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, LG, Sharp, Philips, etc.) In addition, WiMedia has the exclusive backing of Wireless USB and DLNA, which also give it powerful market momentum. The UWB Forum only has Freescale as a major semiconductor company, and no other significant vendor has signed up to supply silicon. With its proprietary PHY and lack of a true product ecosystem, I believe history will show that DS-UWB is another HomeRF, and will suffer the same fate.
Jim Lansford, Ph.D.
Chief Technology Officer
Alereon Inc.
