With an aim to offer more spectrum to wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks for faster Internet connectivity to the users, the government is considering proposals to delicense spectrum for two new wireless technology standards 802.11(a) and 802.11(g).
"We are considering proposals relating to delicensing two wireless standards 802.11(a) and 802.11 (g) to offer more spectrum for the outdoor use of Wi-Fi which needs more bandwidth and capacity," P K Garg, wireless advisor, department of telecom, said at a Wi-Fi conference in New Delhi on Friday.
He said trials are on to see if such delicensing would cause any harm to the interfaces present in the network.
"802.11(a) and (g) would need more bandwidth and if it is found during trials that both these protocols could exist in multiple network scenario, then we can delicense outdoor usage of Wi-Fi. We are considering all these issues with an open mind," Garg said.
If allowed, 802.11(g) would offer wireless connectivity at 54 mbps and over an increased distance. In 802.11(b), the data transfer rate is 11 mbps and with a limited range relating to a local area network. Like 802.11(b) standards, 802.11(g) operates in the 2.4 Ghz range and is thus compatible with it.
The government has delicensed 2.4 Ghz spectrum last year for 802.11(b) technology for indoor Wi-Fi. 802.11(a) operates at radio frequencies between 5Ghz-6Ghz.
802.11 is a family of specifications for wireless local area network and there are four such specifications in the family -- 802.11, 802.11(a), 802.11(b) and 802.11(g).
In a Wi-Fi enabled environment, users can send and receive data indoors and out anywhere within the range of the hotspot.
Hotspots share broadband connection through access points. The wireless signals from the access point is transmitted to a wireless card in the Wi-Fi enabled device -- a laptop or a PDA.
The range of coverage is generally 100-300 feet radius of the access points.
The gearing up action on the Wi-Fi front is attributed to bigger potential of the segment worldwide and in India too.
Dal Lake in Kashmir has been Wi-Fied, while Sify has set up hotspots in Bangalore making the entire city Wi-Fi enabled.
Globally, Dell, Toshiba, TiVo are building Wi-Fi into computers and digital recording devices. Intel, Microsoft, Cicos and IBM are pushing Wi-Fi.
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