| Abstract: | When IEEE releases draft of 802.11n wireless standard next March, industry watchdog group will begin certifying products; final standard not expected until 2008. |
| Keywords: | Wi-fi, 802.11, wireless products, final standard |
The Wi-Fi Alliance, a wireless communications watchdog group, took a bold step this week by announcing that it will begin certifying next-generation Wi-Fi products before a governing standard has been ratified.
The alliance, which has certified products for all of the existing 802.11 Wi-Fi standards, is trying to thwart interoperability conflicts that could arise in products built for the as-yet-undefined high-speed frequency. Those products are expected to begin rolling out next March when a draft of the 802.11n standard is release -- a full year before it is expected to be fully standardized.
The Wi-Fi 802.11n specification is a follow-on to earlier versions of the communication standards, including 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g, each of which covers a different transmission speed. For example, the 802.11g standard transmits at 54 Mbps. It was the successor to 802.11b, which transmitted at 11 Mbps. The proposed 802.11n standard is reported to potentially reach transmission speeds of 600 Mbps. According to market research firm In-Stat (Scottsdale, AZ), "802.11n will be to 802.11b what a Maserati is to a Pinto."
That significant leap in bandwidth has chipset makers on the edge of their seats, awaiting the nod from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the group responsible for building and giving the final blessing to the 802.11 standards.
As originally conceived, version 'n' was to be completed in 2007. IEEE currently says it won't be a formal standard until 2008, yet many OEMs have already begun 802.11n development in order to have products ready next year. In all likelihood, vendors will roll out pre-standardized 802.11n chipsets after IEEE releases its draft proposal in March 2007.
"When you look at the potential of 'pre-n' products that could be out in the marketplace, it is a pretty large number," said Karen Hanley, senior director of marketing and membership for the Wi-Fi Alliance, in an interview.
Indeed, In-Stat predicts that by 2008, 802.11n will be the standard for over 50% of chipsets -- found embedded in laptops, routers, CE devices, and dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi phones. "What kind of experience will consumers have if those products are not tested to work together? That [question] is what prompted this decision," Hanley said.
The Wi-Fi Alliance (Austin), composed of 300 member companies, develops test programs within its independent lab network to ensure interoperability between different Wi-Fi chipsets and access points. The group is taking a phased approach to 802.11n certification. In the first half of 2007 it will test baseline features that align with the draft proposal. It will follow up in 2008 with a new test plan that reflects the ratified standard. Phase two will address the interoperability issue.
The group will have to work to ensure that the products based on the draft are compatible with the final standard, which could reveal some conflicts. "It may not be easy and there's a lot we don't know yet," Hanley admitted.
Nevertheless, industry observers say the alliance is taking a much-needed step. "The alternative is to have stuff out there that nobody has tested," said Harry Forbes, an analyst with ARC Advisory Group (Dedham, MA).
Dave Borison, director of product management at 802.11n pioneer Airgo Networks (Palo Alto, CA), echoed Forbes' thoughts. "I think it will shepherd the whole industry forward," he said in a statement. "Right now, it's chaos. Consumers have no idea if they are buying products that can be upgraded or if they will work with other certified Wi-Fi gear."
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