WiGig group opens way to gigabit wireless devices

Wireless devices that run at speeds of gigabits rather than megabits have been given the green light to hit the consumer market.

The Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig) announced on Monday that its 60GHz multi-gigabit wireless technology is now available for member companies to start turning out products that use the new high-speed standard.

Operating at the unused frequency of 60GHz, the WiGig standard can theoretically offer speeds of up to 7 gigabits per second (Gbps), more than 10 times faster than the current 802.11n Wi-Fi, or Wireless N, rate.

Finalized last December, WiGig is not meant to replace existing Wi-Fi technology but rather complement it. Though WiGig will be faster than traditional Wi-Fi, its range will be shorter.

To further cement the push for high-speed wireless, the WiGig Alliance also announced Monday an agreement with the Wi-Fi Alliance, a nonprofit wireless industry group whose goal is to ensure that different wireless products can talk to each other. The two groups will share technology specifications to create a certification program that can push the development of new Wi-Fi products operating in the 60GHz frequency.

Formed a year ago to promote the need for faster speed connections between different wireless devices, the Wireless Gigabit Alliance counts Intel, Nokia, Dell, Microsoft and Samsung among the members of its board of directors. Networking powerhouse Cisco Systems recently joined as a board member.