New wireless technologies make waves Ultra wideband, 802.11n, WiMAX among the emerging wireless technologies soon to infiltrate schools By Justin Appel, Assistant Editor, eSchool News
New developments in wireless technologies promise to increase the speed and range of wireless networks even further, bringing the benefits of wireless computing to an ever-greater number of people--and expanding the power of these networks to accommodate video and other bandwidth-intensive applications.
Many cities and towns already have, or are working to create, large outdoor wireless networks that are available to the public, and these efforts should be aided by new long-range wireless technologies that some experts believe could explode onto the scene later this year. As the buzz from the floor of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas proved earlier this month, new developments in short-range wireless technologies also have IT experts excited.
"Wireless connectivity in schools is as basic a need today as was 'hard-wired' connectivity five years ago," says Bob Moore, executive director of information technology services for the Blue Valley Union School District 229 in Kansas. "It gives flexibility to students and staff that would not be possible otherwise."
With a number of so-called "4G," or fourth-generation, wireless technologies starting to make their way onto the market, here's a closer look at the emerging trends that will shape how schools connect their students and their schools to digital media.
Short-range wireless
Bluetooth--used in everything from cell phones to video games--is the current king of personal-area wireless technology, but "ultra wideband" (UWB) could eventually take over. "It's already been out there for awhile," says Gartner Distinguished Analyst Ken Dulaney. "But now, chips are getting produced, and it's getting a lot cheaper to make."
UWB is known for being able to transmit signals wirelessly at a much higher rate than Bluetooth--between 40 and 60 megabits of data per second, and eventually up to 1 gigabit per second, compared with Bluetooth's 2 to 3 Mbps.
UWB transmits ultra low-power radio signals with very short electrical pulses across all frequencies at once. Because it spans the entire frequency spectrum, it can be used effectively even indoors and underground, regardless of obstructions.
A number of products using UWB technology were introduced at the 2007 CES earlier this month (see related story), and many experts believe UWB soon could become the technology of choice for transmitting data from cameras, televisions, printers, and other peripherals. But a significant shortcoming is that UWB is limited to a distance of about 30 feet, the same as Class 2 Bluetooth radios. (Class 1 Bluetooth devices have a range of up to 300 feet.) This could prevent UWB from becoming the do-all data transmitter for media streaming that it is designed to be.
Next-generation Wi-Fi
Over the past half-decade, Wi-Fi (802.11) has become the standard bearer for wireless connectivity, exploding from a primarily home- or office-based technology to one that is installed in parks, libraries, coffee shops, arenas, and--most importantly--schools.
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