Slashdot Mirror
Ultrawideband Soon To Be Legal In Europe
ukhackster writes "ZDNet UK is reporting that ultrawideband will be legalized in Europe within 6 months, but with tougher controls than in America — the only place where it is legal now. Ultrawideband offers wireless connectivity at speeds up to 1Gbps, and is meant to supersede USB and clear our desks of wires. In Europe, fears that UWB might interfere with other technologies have kept it out of the market. Opening up the European market could give manufacturers a powerful incentive to push UWB." From the article: "[S]ources confirmed to ZDNet UK that the restrictions put forward by the EC would indeed be more rigorous than those imposed in the US, although they would not be so restrictive as to make it impossible for some global harmonization of UWB devices... It is understood that the committee decision to allow UWB was based on a far from unanimous majority, with some Scandinavian countries and France opposing the proposal."
That fad died out. Nowadays people use the more neutral name Millimeter-Wave instead of EHF, and the Overwhelmingly Large Telescope is being remarketed as the "ESO 100-m telescope". So instead of ultrawideband, why can't they measure the band-width in hertz and make a name based on that?
I think you are confusing Ultra-wideband and WiMax.
c ationsk
WiMax is like conventional 802.11 "WiFi," but optimized for higher data rates and much longer distances. It's like Wifi on 'roids, emphasis on coverage area and distance.
UWB is different; it's a very short-range protocol for 'desktop' use. Basically, as a way to get devices that are near each other anyway, to communicate with each other without wires. Think of it as Bluetooth on 'roids, but hopefully without all the obnoxiousness.
UWB would definitely not be good for creating point-to-point internet relays/backhaul, or any application that involved distances of more than a few feet. It uses way too much RF spectrum; the idea is that it transmits on a whole load of frequencies at once, but since the power is very low, it doesn't interfere with other things (too badly). This way you get ridiculous data rates, comparable to high-bandwidth wired protocols (so say UWB's promoters) but without having to have wires all over your desk. In a UWB-ed world, you wouldn't have to have a cable going from your scanner to your PC, because it could just pass the data wirelessly.
You might be interested in reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-wideband#Appli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_area_networ
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
> Last time i checked, Europe was not a nation. I suppose the article means the European Union, but
> isn't it better to keep the meanings intact?
Most non-EU nations in Europe tend to follow EU regulation as well. They just don't get a say in it.
> Also, aren't EU bills only a recommendation for the EU states, which have to accept it one by
> one as well?
They have to be implemented in national law, which the EU countries are legally obliged to do.