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The official IEEE message on 11g is: "Serve more users!"

A lot of comment has appeared in print about "11g" - the high-speed wireless technology which the IEEE has just ratified; here's what the IEEE itself has to say - and you'll notice, it focuses on how many users can share a faster wireless network.

The announcement is phrased in moderate, academic language - but intriguingly, the engineers have focused not so much on the increased speed of 11g, but on the fact that it allows more users to share the same hotspot.

The new amendment to the IEEE 802.11 standard has now been ratified by the Standards Board of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The statement issued says: "The amendment, IEEE 802.11g, raises the data rate of IEEE 802.11b networks to 54 Mbps (megabits per second) from 11 Mbps."

And then, tellingly, it says: "The added transmission speed gives wireless networks based on IEEE 802.11b (often called WiFi) the ability to serve up to four to five times more users than they now do." Then, almost as an afterthought, the statement adds: "It also opens the possibility for using IEEE 802.11 networks in more demanding applications, such as wireless multimedia video transmission and broadcast MPEG."

The new amendment allows IEEE 802.11g units to fall back to speeds of 11 Mbps, so IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g devices can coexist in the same network. The two standards apply to the 2.4 GHz frequency band. IEEE 802.11g creates data-rate parity at 2.4 GHz with the IEEE 802.11a standard, which has a 54 Mbps rate at 5 GHz. (IEEE 802.11a has other differences compared to IEEE 802.11b or g, such as offering more channels.)

"IEEE 802.11g gives WLAN suppliers and users added flexibility in choosing systems that best fits their needs," said Stuart J. Kerry, IEEE 802.11 Working Group Chair. "Given the millions of 802.11b-based WLANs in place worldwide, the market demand for the extension to 54 Mbps has been quite strong."

That's an understatement; even before the standard was ratified, companies like Linksys claim that demand went up five-fold when they launched Wireless-G - the precursor to 11g, before it was ratified. That applied to several companies who rook the risk of going with the product before it was ratified, and several have come to regret it.

"One reason for this is that the higher speed extends the use of this widely deployed WLAN technology into a growing variety of home, consumer, business and public networking applications. In addition to making 11b networks more efficient, the new amendment ensures users that the equipment in these networks will be interoperable."

In terms of the effort needed to create the new amendment, Kerry noted that the IEEE 802.11 Working Group for Wireless LANs contains nearly 400 individuals with voting status who are affiliated with computer, networking and software companies, as well as with consultant organisations and academic institutions. "The members of the Working Group put forth a great deal of effort to make this standard a reality," he said. "They are to be congratulated for their achievement."

"The WiFi Alliance applauds the IEEE for passing the IEEE 802.11g amendment to the IEEE 802.11 standard," said Frank Hanzlik, Managing Director of the WiFi Alliance. "This very exciting achievement continues the evolution of wireless LAN technology."

As predicted here, yesterday, Hanzlik saw this as a challenge: "In response to the amendment's approval, the WiFi Alliance will be announcing the first round of WiFi certified 802.11g products in the near future. With over 700 WiFi certified products already available around the world, we expect that the approval of this amendment will increase product certifications and industry growth," he said.

Geoff Thompson, Vice Chair of the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee and a member of the IEEE Standards Board, said: "The current round of IEEE 802 standards passed by the Standards Board, which includes IEEE 802.11g and IEEE 802.3af, 'Data Terminal Equipment Power Via Media Dependent Interface,' will help put networking equipment everywhere. These approvals are part of a long-standing effort within the IEEE-SA to create advanced standards that support cutting-edge applications so the industry continues to give end users the capabilities they demand."

IEEE 802.11 standards form a family of specifications that define how WLAN equipment should be produced so equipment from different manufacturers can work together. IEEE 802.11g, "Higher Speed Physical Layer (PHY) Extension to IEEE 802.11b," was developed by the IEEE 802.11 Working Group, which is sponsored by the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee of the IEEE Computer Society.

About the IEEE Standards Association

The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognize standards-setting body, develops consensus standards through an open process that brings diverse parts of an industry together. These standards set specifications and procedures to ensure that products and services are fit for their purpose and perform as intended. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of more than 870 completed standards and more than 400 standards in development. Over 15,000 IEEE members worldwide belong to IEEE-SA and voluntarily participate in standards activities.

For further information on IEEE-SA, visit: that section of their web pages - but don't expect to find it easy reading!

About the IEEE

The IEEE has more than 380,000 members in approximately 150 countries. Through its members, the organisation is a leading authority on areas ranging from aerospace, computers and telecommunications to biomedicine, electric power and consumer electronics. The IEEE produces nearly 30 percent of the world's literature in electrical and electronics engineering and in computer science. This nonprofit organisation also sponsors or cosponsors more than 300 technical conferences each year. Additional information about the IEEE can be found at http://www.ieee.org the IEEE's own web site.