ABI Research: 802.11n WiFi Standard Not Ready for Primetime

By Mae Kowalke

TMCnet Associate Editor

 

Chipset vendors and equipment manufacturers may be ready to hit the ground running with wireless products based on the new 802.11n standard, but the standard itself is still walking on shaky legs.

 

That’s according to a new report from technology industry analysis company ABI Research.

 

In a press release about the report, ABI noted that the 11n Draft Specification was approved in March, 2006, but will not be fully ratified until 2007.

 

That should serve as a warning to consumers, ABI advised. Although the 802.11n is making possible a new generation of networking applications, “the specification still leaves many options open to interpretation and implementation.”

 

ABI analyst Alan Varghese said in the press release that chipset companies including Broadcome, Atheros, Intel (News - Alert), Marvell, Texas Instruments, Conexant, and Airgo Networks are now racing to bring 802.11n products to market.

As a result, chipsets and devices using the 11n Draft specifications—which makes possible peak data speeds of 600 Mbps—will be available later this year.

 

“But, there will be wide variability between them, and true interoperability between vendors is still wishful thinking,” Varghese warned. “So consumers and business users should be wary about their purchases, at least till final ratification of the standard, which is expected sometime in 2007.”