Wilocity, an Israeli-based company that is developing 60GHz multi-gigabit wireless chipsets for mobile devices, will show off some working prototypes at the CES show this January. Based on 802.11ad technology, it promises 7 gigabits per second transfer speeds over short distances. The first devices using the technology will be notebooks, ultrabooks, tablets and docking stations, said Wilocity VP of Marketing Mark Grodzinsky.
The company aims to have products for sale by the middle of 2012, and be the first to do so based on the spec. The 802.11ad spec isn't yet a finalized standard but is in the process of becoming one at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It uses 60GHz frequencies compared to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz ones used by the current 802.11n spec. The format should also be interoperable with WiGig, as Wilocity is part of the WiGig Alliance. This should help the technology become more widespread.
Wilocity has achieved speeds of 4Gbps with its first chips, while 802.11n reach about 300Mbps from promised, on-paper 600Mbps speeds. It also promises less interference and better power efficiency. Range will be more limited, however, with it relegated to rooms only rather than whole houses. The idea is to replace wires such as HDMI in a living room rather than offer a true replacement for Wi-Fi.
