In the 15 years since Steve Jobs publicly demo’d the first wifi capable MacBook (video below), the standard has gone from a plodding 1.5Mbps (802.11a) to today’s spunky 1Gbps (802.11ac). However, as with everything technological, wifi isn’t sitting still and Chinese networking equipment maker Huawei is already testing 802.11ax (10Gbps) equipment.
But whatever you do, please don’t call it “5G.” OK, call it 5G, but don’t expect that to mean anything.
Just installed an 802.11ac router and you’re feeling pretty smug, eh? That 1Gbps wifi is enough? Yeah, keep your screwdriver handy and don’t get too comfortable, because 802.11ax is coming.
Chinese networking giant Huawei is boasting successful tests of 802.11ax wifi equipment. Yes, boys and girls keeping score at home, that is a 5GHz frequency device capable of 10Gbps throughput.
Wow.
“We want to develop a system that will not break, that will support up to one billion connections and offer users speeds of up to 10Gbps,” the company said in a press release. “This important milestone, which delivered data over WiFi 10 times faster than the fastest existing WiFi capability commercially available today, will enable a new era of big data applications by using ultra-fast WiFi technology based on advanced next generation architecture…”
Exciting stuff to be sure. However, 802.11ax isn’t a specification yet let alone a formalized standard. For what it is worth, Huawei expects to ship 802.11ax Ultra Wifi in 2018.
And, Huawei has been accused by the US and other Western governments of being a tool/pawn of the Chinese government.
Hmm, maybe my old 802.11n router isn’t so bad after all…
What’s your take?
Via Electronista