Monthly Archives: February 2006

London Loses Top Wi-Fi Status

London has lost its place as the city with the most Wi-Fi hotspots, according to a recent survey. Via [vnunet.com]Continue Reading

WIMAX Designers Keen On Open Architecture

The Open Base Station Architecture Initiative, (OBSAI) reports that nearly one third of its members actively work with WiMAX technology and that the initiative’s WiMAX integration will be completed soon. Via [eetuk.com]Continue Reading

Faster Gear To Drive Wi-Fi Market

Consumers won’t wait to snap up new, faster wireless LAN gear this year, research company Dell’Oro Group said Tuesday, even though the IEEE 802.11n standard responsible for the latest breakthrough probably won’t be signed off on until 2007. Via [pcworld.com]Continue Reading

WiMax Faces Renewed Competition: Study

While WiMax has the strong backing of Intel, the study noted that another type of wireless broadband, FLASH-OFDM, is now owned by Qualcomm and is based on another standard. Via [informationweek.com]Continue Reading

Symbol Links Field Staff With New Rugged Device

Symbol Technologies will this week ship a new handheld aimed at mobile staff such as service engineers and delivery drivers. The ruggedised device offers multiple wireless options and facilities such as a barcode scanner, allowing staff to query central data sources while in the field. Via [vnunet.com]Continue Reading

TI Completes $200M ZigBee Acqusition

Texas Instruments Inc. has added a ZigBee play to its portfolio of high performance analog chips with the completion of its acquisition of Chipcon. Via [reed-electronics.com]Continue Reading

Wi-Fi Specs Approach 100Mbit/s

A first draft of the 802.11n wireless LAN (WLAN) standard was unanimously approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) last week. The approval could prompt vendors to ship compliant equipment in mid-2006, though the final specification will not be ratified for another year. Via [vnunet.com]Continue Reading

UWB Derails, Wi-Fi On Track

Two critical decisions at last week’s IEEE 802 meeting in Waikoloa, Hawaii, underscore the different paths possible when implementation choices appear to be at loggerheads. Because the 802.15.3a effort to develop a common ultrawideband standard could find no common ground between the multiband-OFDM and direct-sequence groups, the project authorization request was officially abandoned. Via [commsdesign.com]Continue Reading

Atheros Moves On 802.11n

Atheros Communications Inc. today announced the launch of its XSPAN family of wireless LAN technologies for 802.11n, based on a triple-radio RF design. Via [reed-electronics.com]Continue Reading

US Seeks First-mover Advantage With WiMAX Licensing

The US government plans to start licensing spectrum this year for wireless broadband services based on the recently ratified 802.16e WiMAX standard, aiming to stay “one or two steps ahead of other countries,” according to an official from the DoC. Via [cbronline.com]Continue Reading

Converged Wi-Fi/Mobile Services Due This Year

Following successful trials of Wi-Fi/mobile phone convergence last year, services are likely to be rolled out commercially in 2006, new research has predicted. Via [vnunet.com]Continue Reading

Safeguarding Wireless Networks

Meru Networks Inc. plans to offer in April an intrusion-detection and -prevention system that secures wireless local area networks by scanning for intrusions at the radio-frequency signal layer. Via [informationweek.com]Continue Reading

Two Vendors Claim ‘First’ Pre-Standard 802.11n Chipsets

Marvel and Broadcom both say they’re ready to ship chipsets based on the new technology, designed to increase bandwidth and make other improvements over 802.11g. Via [informationweek.com]Continue Reading

WiMax Forum Certifies First Products

The WiMax Forum on Thursday announced the first products to pass official certification and interoperability testing for the fixed wireless broadband standard. Via [eweek.com]Continue Reading

Qualcomm Completes Acquisition Of WiMAX Competitor

Cellular technology giant Qualcomm said Thursday it has completed its acquisition of Flarion Technologies, which has developed a wireless broadband technology that competes with WiMAX. Via [commsdesign.com]Continue Reading