Products for 54mbps wireless local area networks (WLANs) based on the 802.11a standard have already arrived in the United States. But the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards body has approved 802.11g, another specification that allows data to travel at the same speed as 802.11a. Technically, the difference between the two is that 802.11a operates in the 5GHz waveband, while 802.11g operates in the 2.4GHz waveband--where current WLAN products based on the 802.11b standard operate.
"By the time 802.11g reaches the market, 802.11a will be the incumbent technology," said David Bradshaw, product manager for WLANs, Intel EMEA. The final 802.11g standard will probably not be completed until the beginning of 2003. Although 54mbps products in the 2.4GHz band will be available before then, 802.11a will have a strong lead, said Bradshaw.
Wireless products based on the 802.11g standard will have more backwards compatibility with the existing 802.11b specification, since the cards will be interchangeable in an 802.11g base station and since they operate in the same waveband. However, Intel, Agere and other WLAN providers are shipping dual-card base stations that can hold both 802.11a and 802.11b cards, giving users enough compatibility between fast and slow WLANs.
Another factor is that 802.11g would increase the traffic in the 2.4GHz band--something that radio agencies wish to avoid--so 802.11g may face regulatory difficulties in Europe. "The UK Radiocommunications Agency is concerned at the level of 2.4GHz traffic," said Bradshaw. "802.11g would increase it."
Although Intel clearly gains if 802.11g beats 802.11a, it is apparently innocent of standards-body manipulation in this instance. Accounts suggest that, although Intel has a member on the 802.11g committee, delays to 802.11g are the result of in-fighting between two of its rivals. The 802.11g standard was originally intended to operate at 22mbps, and was being led by silicon provider Intersil. Efforts by rival Texas Instruments to introduce the faster speed caused lengthy arguments and allowed 802.11a to take the lead.
"Although Intel clearly gains if 802.11g beats 802.11a, it is apparently innocent of standards-body manipulation in this instance. Accounts suggest that, although Intel has a member on the 802.11g committee, delays to 802.11g are the result of in-fighting between two of its rivals. The 802.11g standard was originally intended to operate at 22mbps, and was being led by silicon provider Intersil. Efforts by rival Texas Instruments to introduce the faster speed caused lengthy arguments and allowed 802.11a to take the lead. "
I disagree with this closing paragraph.
1) Why does Intel clearly gain...? They are not the market leader(number of chipsets sold) for IEEE802.11anything.
2) The 802.11g standard was originally intended to operate at 22mbps by whom? The working group did not start off by limiting itself to a 22mbps ceiling.
3) Was the 802.11g standard "being led by silicon provider Intersil", or was the 175 member panel (including a Task Force Chairman from Alantro Communications, which the TI acquired last summer)divided into factions.?
4) Was Texas Instruments trying to introduce "faster speed", or trying to protect an investment in chips that support PBCC modulation.