Regulator Ofcom has ruled to open spectrum in the 59 - 64GHz band for use by Fixed Wireless Systems (FWS) under a licence exempt authorisation approach. The move coincides with an announcement by the Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig), which has just developed the first specification for a new Wi-Fi (802.11) compatible wireless network that can support data transmission rates of up to 7Gbps via the 60GHz band.

Specification Highlights

The WiGig version 1.0 specification includes the following key elements:

* Supports data transmission rates up to 7 Gbps – more than ten times faster than the highest 802.11n rate.

* Supplements and extends the 802.11 Medium Access Control (MAC) layer and is backward compatible with the IEEE 802.11 standard.

* Physical layer enables both the low power and the high performance WiGig devices, guaranteeing interoperability and communication at gigabit rates.

* Protocol adaptation layers are being developed to support specific system interfaces including data buses for PC peripherals and display interfaces for HDTVs, monitors and projectors.

* Support for beamforming, enabling robust communication at distances beyond 10 meters.

* Widely used advanced security and power management for WiGig devices.

Ofcom expects to officially introduce the changes during next summer with the publication of its Final Regulatory Statement on licence exemption and exemption regulations. Meanwhile the completed WiGig specification is now ready for member review and is anticipated to be made available to adopter members in Q1 2010.