Wireless Gigabit Alliance Develops Multi-Gigabit Network Standard Called WiGig

A new force is emerging in the wireless networking field: Wireless Gigabit Alliance is backed by influential companies like Dell, Intel, LG, Samsung, Microsoft, Nokia, Broadcom and many more. Together, they represent a good chunk of the industry and their sheer size and reach should establish WiGig as a new interoperable standard.

WiGig has been designed to provide ultra-fast data transfers (up to 6GB/sec, theoretically) over relatively short distances (about 20 yards, without walls). WiGig is a device to device (p2p) network and does not require a central HUB or router that could easily turn into a congestion point. Because it is different, its goal is not to replace WiFi or Bluetooth, although you can imagine some overlapping there. WiGig’s weak point is that its signal can be easily stopped or strongly weakened by obstacles like walls.

WiGig is based on the 60Ghz frequency, which is available worldwide. This is critical is the success of WiFi is built on a worldwide interoperability. At this point, the specifications will be done by December 2009 but you can bet that teams are ready at work on the hardware implementations. Any company can join the alliance, which has learned greatly from the success of WiFi.