AUSTIN, TEXAS and BEIJING, CHINA- September 25, 2007 - The Wi-Fi Alliance today announced that more than 95 next-generation802.11n draft 2.0 products have been Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ since the organization's testingprogram began just three months ago. This first wave of products, which includeaccess points, laptop computers, routers and wireless networking cards, enable consumerand enterprise users to select from a growing number of interoperable next-generationWi-Fi gear.
"Wi-Fi is apervasive wireless technology used by more than 350 million people at more than200,000 public hotspots, millions of homes and businesses worldwide," saidWi-Fi Alliance Senior Director Karen Hanley."Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 products are transforming the wirelesslandscape by combining increased throughput and range in products that havepassed rigorous tests for interoperability. We expect the rate of adoption ofnext-generation Wi-Fi will continue to accelerate in new devices and multi-mediaapplications."
802.11n enables Wi-Fi networks to do more, faster, and over a largerarea. ABI Research forecasts more than 90 percent of Wi-Fi chipsetshipments will support 802.11n in 2012. “For many, 802.11n will revolutionizethe way Wi-Fi is deployed and enjoyed, enabling larger data-heavy applications,including video,” said Phil Solis, principal analyst at ABI Research. “At thesame time we expect that many people who have not previously tried Wi-Fiwill try it, substantially growing the market.”
802.11n isbased on the MIMO (Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output) air interface technology, whichemploys multiple receivers and transmitters to transport two or more datastreams simultaneously in the same frequency channel. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11ndraft 2.0 products can achieve data rates of up to 300 Mbps, providing the bestwireless connection available for enterprise and home networks alike -delivering the range, bandwidth, and performance today's multimediaapplications and products require.
Companies thathave been first to achieve 802.11n draft 2.0 certifications include thefollowing:
- AcctonTechnology Corporation
- AppleInc.
- AtherosCommunications
- AsusTekComputer Inc.
- AzureWaveTechnologies Inc.
- BelkinInternational, Inc.
- BroadcomCorporation
- BuffaloTechnology, Inc.
- CiscoSystems, Inc.
- ConexantSystems, Inc.
- D-LinkCorporation/D-Link Systems, Inc.
- EdimaxTechnology
- FujitsuComputer Systems Corporation
- Hewlett-PackardDevelopment Company
- IntelCorporation
- Lenovo
- Linksys
- MarvellTechnology Group Ltd.
- Meru Networks
- Metalink
- NECCorporation
- Netgear
- PlanexCommunications Inc.
- RalinkTechnology, Corp.
- RealtekSemiconductor Corp.
- SMCNetworks, Inc.
- SonyCorporation
- ToshibaAmerica, Inc.
- Z-com,Inc.
Consumer and enterprise users should look for the Wi-FiCERTIFIED logo or certification validation when purchasing 802.11n draft 2.0products. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products are tested for interoperability, adherenceto WPA2™ (Wi-Fi Protected Access™) security protocols and backwardcompatibility with 802.11a/b/g. WMM® (Wi-Fi Multimedia™) quality ofservice is also part of the testing program, helping to ensure the best userexperience with applications such as voice, video and gaming. This testing andthe Wi-Fi CERTIFIED "seal of approval" indicate to Wi-Fi users that their Wi-FiCERTIFIED products have been tested to work together.
The Wi-Fi Alliance plans to certify products based on thefinal version of the 802.11n standard once ratified by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).
A list of all Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 802.11n draft 2.0 products andfree white papers on 802.11n technology are available at www.wi-fi.org.
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
TheWi-Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of morethan 300 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wirelessLocal Area Networks (WLANs). With the aim of enhancing the user experience formobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certificationprograms ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance'scertification program in March 2000, more than 3,500 productshave been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, encouraging the expanded useof Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets.More information is available at www.wi-fi.org.
Media contact: Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance: Dominic Ybarra, dominic.ybarra@edelman.com,+1 650-762-2960.