Some Key Wireless Technologies

Although recognizing that existing wireless media, such as microwave, MAS radio, spread-spectrum radio, VSAT satellite systems, and proprietary radio-based systems, also could be used for some applications, the P1777 recommended practices are focusing on the newer wireless data communication technologies such as:

1.  WiFi: WiFi, the most popular wireless standard for networking computer systems, has the following basic characteristics:

–        Multi-user configuration

–        IEEE 802.11b data rate is 11Mbps

–        IEEE 802.11g data rate is 54Mbps

–        Frequency band is the 2.4Ghz band

–        Range of 100-150 feet

–        Equipment and WiFi systems/access points are usually privately owned

2.   Bluetooth is used in cellphones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and other mobile wireless devices, primarily for communicating with computers, Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), headsets, hands-free systems, and other gadgets. 

–        Point-to-point links

–        Very short range of only 33 feet (approx 10m)

–        Frequency band is the 2.4Ghz band.

–        Relatively low data rate of 1.5Mbps

–        Equipment and Bluetooth systems are privately owned

3.   Zigbee, based on IEEE 802.15.4, defines low-rate, very low duty cycle, wireless personal area networks often termed “meshed networks” as opposed to point-to-point. ZigBee builds upon this 802.15.4 standard to define application profiles that can be shared among different manufacturers to provide system-to-system interoperability. This effort is still a work in progress, although of great interest to industries (such as the power industry) that have extensive sensor networks.

–        Multi-user configuration

–        Range between devices is 30-300 feet.

–        Low data rate of <250 kbps

–        High availability due to meshed network configuration

–        Equipment and Zigbee systems are usually privately owned

4.   WiMax (IEEE 802.16) wireless technologies has a primary focus of enabling a wireless alternative for cable, DSL, and T1 communication channels for consumer last-mile access to the Internet, including high-speed data, Voice over IP (VoIP), Video on Demand (VoD), and backhaul for IEEE 802.11 LANs. WiMax addresses the "first-mile/last-mile" connection for longer distances and faster rates.

–        Multi-user configuration

–        Range of 5 to 30 miles (5 more likely)

–        Data rates of (45-75 Mbps

–        Not clear if WiMax systems would be publicly or privately owned

5.   Cellphone data standards, GPRS, is part of GSM effort to create a common European mobile telephone standard for a pan-European mobile cellular radio system (and now worldwide). The resulting mobile telephone standard allows cellphone users to “roam” across many cellphone systems and between most countries world-wide. New generations of cellphone technologies, termed 2.5G, 3G, and 4G are deployed in certain countries or are still under development.

–        Multi-user configuration

–        GPRS commonly used for data, with 30-80 kbps typical.

–        EDGE (enhancement to GPRS) provides 160-236 kbps

–        The range is wherever cellphone coverage is available!

–        Cellphone systems are owned by telecommunication providers