xMax sparks low power wireless revolution
Peter Judge
http://www.techworld.com/mobility/news/index.cfm?NewsID=4722&inkc=0
A little-known startup, xG Technology has introduced a wireless network technology with 1000 times the power efficiency of conventional technology. [jomama]
At the demonstration with other reporters, we were able to verify that the signals were being sent wirelessly, and checked the distance by GPS, but had to take the 50mW base station - and its omnidirectional antenna - on trust, since it was at the top of an 850ft mast. The demonstration will be repeated for the US press next week.
The system carried 7.4 Mbit/s per MHz per Watt, said Professor Schwartz. By comparison, GSM would have around 0.0058, and CDMA/EV-DO about 0.0085 Mbit/s per MHz per Watt.
xG has promised to have commercial systems ready by the second half of next year, which can be sold off-the-shelf. "We're in discussion with channel partners, to make a shrinkwrapped package that would allow anyone to set up as a wireless ISP," said Mooers."In the longer term we see it rolling out to chips that will be in millions of different units."
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"I have also seen it demonstrated as a personal-area network, giving 2Mbit/s over 40ft, using 3 nanoWatts," said Schwartz. With that level of power, a Wi-Fi like network could operate for years on small batteries, he said.
Beyond that, it could even modulate signals carried over copper. Bobier suggested that this might even allow DSL technologies that give much higher data rates and greater range.