SUPER WiFi!!!

Last week, the FCC ruled that the frequency bands that were freed up when TV switched from analog to digital could be used for the transmission of a new type of WiFi, dubbed "Super WiFi".

Over the years, there have been several changes in wireless technology from 'B' to 'G' to 'N' radios, each expanding upon the speed and range of the previous generation. WiFi traditionally runs on either the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz frequency bands, which makes them susceptible to interference from microwaves, wireless phones and other devices. Since the FCC auction of the analog TV spectrum, companies like Google have been lobbying to free up this "white space", and that's what the FCC has now done.

The frequencies that "Super WiFi" will utilize will be between the 50Mhz to 700Mhz bands, which should have significantly better building penetration. It's anticipated that this lower frequency could allow WiFi to travel for miles and even allow for download speeds of 15-20Mbps through solid brick walls.

Don't anticipate seeing any Super WiFi consumer products for a while - it is still in the testing phase, and the first deployments of Super WiFi will likely be in the municipal sector in the next couple of years. We look forward to seeing Super WiFi in action, though!




Mild mannered wireless at night, SUPER WI-FI by day!
ZoomWi-Fi is awesome. Just think of the days before Wi-Fi when you had to be tethered to the wall to get on the internet. For a desktop, it wasn't a big deal, but Wi-Fi has changed the way that we compute on laptops.
Things kicked off with 802.11b, and then Wireless G hit, which remains as today's most widely used standard. Wireless N routers and devices are now the current things on store shelves and will eventually overrun G.
While the gradual evolution is good, what Wi-Fi needs is a full revolutionary upgrade – and that's what is officially called Super Wi-Fi, which the FCC just approved.
The FCC has opened up the spectrum between 50MHz and 700MHz that were previously used for television signals. With TV having gone digital, that space has now been opened up for Super Wi-Fi.
The massive benefit to the spectrum between 50MHz and 700MHz over the currently used 2.4GHz is that the lower frequencies travel better through walls and for further distances. Instead of measuring your router's range in feet, Super Wi-Fi routers will be able to reach for miles. Range is the main benefit, as initial speeds will be at 15Mbps to 20Mbps.
Don't expect to get that sort of range in your personal router just yet though (even though it'd be great to browse on your own connection from the neighbourhood café), as the technology will likely first appear in industrial, corporate, government and medical applications.
Google and Microsoft were two big champions of Super Wi-Fi. Google posted a blog, expressing how pleased it was about the FCC paving the way for "Wi-Fi on Steroids."
Microsoft was also happy. Craig Mundie, the company's chief research and strategy officer, issued this statement to TechFlash: