This report concentrates on recent advances in the development of the Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) is the most powerful, well-established and highly marketable wireless technology. Billions of Wi-Fi chips are at work, providing support for many industries, including healthcare, industrial and building automation, consumers’ electronics and other.

The report shows that the work to enhance the Wi-Fi technology has never stopped. In particular, it addresses such recent developments:

1.    802.11n. The technology already produced a multi-billion market, improving such communications characteristics as the rate of transmission, coverage and other.  It significantly increased the spectrum of Wi-Fi applications.
2.    60 GHz Wi-Fi. This is the Wi-Fi industry response on the users’ new requirements to support gigabits per second rates of transmission over shorter ranges for such applications as a home/office distribution of HDVD and similar bandwidth-hunger applications.
3.    White Spaces Wi-Fi (super Wi-Fi). This technology allows utilizing the property of sub-gigahertz transmission together with Wi-Fi advances.
4.    Low-consumption Wi-Fi. Until recently, WLAN technologies could not compete with ZigBee, UWB and other low-consumption technologies. The creation of low-consumption Wi-Fi chips opened the doors for such applications as WSN in healthcare, manufacturing, building automation and many others.

The report addresses technological, standardization and marketing features of these recent additions to the 802.11 family; it also includes a survey of vendors and related products.

Target Audience

This report is important to a wide audience of researches, technical and sales staff involved in the developing of WLANs and based on them network infrastructure. It is recommended for both service providers and vendors that are working with related technologies. The report also helps to understand issues associated with relationship between discussed systems and other technologies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0    Introduction
1.1 General    8
1.1.1 Elements    8
1.2 Legacy Wi-Fi    10
1.2.1 802.11b    10
1.2.2 Family    12
1.2.2.1 802.11a    12
1.2.2.2 802.11g    13
1.3 Scope    13
1.4 Details    14
1.5 Research Methodology    14
1.6 Target Audience    15

2.0 IEEE 802.11n  
2.1 802.11n Status    16
2.1.1 Environment    16
2.1.2 Draft v. 1.0    17
2.1.3 Draft v. 2.0    18
2.1.4 Further Developments and IEEE Approval    19
2.2 Wi-Fi Alliance    19
2.3 802.11n Technology    20
2.3.1 Advances    20
2.3.1.1 MIMO    20
2.3.1.2 Spatial Division Multiplexing    21
2.3.1.3 OFDM    21
2.3.1.4 Channel Bonding    22
2.3.1.5 Packet Aggregation    22
2.3.2 PHY and MAC    22
2.4 Major Features    24
2.4.1 Specifics    24
2.4.2 Channel Bandwidth    26
2.4.3 Backward Compatibility    26
2.4.4 Adaptation    26
2.4.5 Security    27
2.4.6 Enhancements    28
2.5 Benefits and Applications    29
2.5.1 Benefits    29
6.5.2 Applications    31
2.6 Market    32
2.6.1 Drivers    32
2.6.2 Market Forecast    32
2.6.2.1 Model Assumptions    32
2.6.2.2 Forecast    33
2.7 Industry    36
Aerohive (APs)    36
Aruba (APs)    37
Atheros (Chipsets, WUSB)    38
Axar (HDVD)    41
Buffalo (Router, AP)    41
Belkin (Routers, Adaptors, WUBS)    42
Broadcom (Chipsets, WUSB)    43
Cisco (AP)    46
Celeno (HDVD)    47
D-Link (Routers, WUSB)    51
Edimax (Router, WUSB Adapter)    53
Extreme (AP)    54
Marvell (Chipsets)    55
Meru (Family of Products, HDVD)    56
Metalink (Chipsets; HDTV)    58
Motorola Solution (Tools, AP)    61
NEC (Router)    62
Netgear (Router, AP, HD streaming)    62
Redpine Signals (Chipsets)    65
Ruckus (AP, Multimedia)    67
Ralink (Chipsets)    68
Quantenna (HDVD)    70
SiGe (Chipsets)-Acquired by Skyworks in 2011    72
TP-Link    73
TrendNet (Routers, AP, WUSB)    74
Xirrus    75
ZyXel (AP, Router, WUSB)    76

3.0 60 GHz Wi-Fi 
3.1 Goal    80
3.2 General    81
3.3 Spectrum Specifics    82
3.3.1 Oxygen Absorption    83
3.4 Antenna    85
3.5 Radiation Limiting at 60 GHz    86
3.6 Combined Effect    87
3.7 Progress in the Chip Technology    88
3.7.1 Challenges and Efforts    88
3.7.2 Modulation    90
3.7.3 Specifics    90
3.7.3.1 Indoor Behavior    90
3.8 Summary    90
3.9 Prospectus    91
3.9.1 WiGig Alliance    92
3.9.1.1 Union    94
3.9.2 IEEE 802.11ad    94
3.9.2.1 Status    94
3.9.2.2 Coexistence    94
3.9.2.3 Scope    95
3.9.2.4 Channelization    96
3.9.2.5 PHY    96
3.9.2.6 MAC    97
3.9.2.7 Other Details    98

4.0 Wi-Fi and White Spaces 
4.1 Definition    100
4.2 Factors    100
4.3 FCC Activity    101
4.3.1 Super Wi-Fi Hot Spots    102
4.3.2 Role of Database    104
4.3.2.1 Specifics    105
4.3.3 TVBD - Details    106
4.4 Europe: Ofcom and ECC    107
4.5 Ecosystem    110
4.6 Industry Activity    111
4.6.1 Microsoft    111
4.6.2 Utility    111
4.7 IEEE Standards    112
4.7.1 IEEE 802.16h    113
4.7.2 IEEE 802.11af    115
4.7.2.1 General: Expectations – Wi-Fi on Steroids    115
4.7.2.2 Differences    116
4.7.2.3 Benefits    117
4.7.2.4 Specifics    117
4.7.2.5 Summary    118
4.7.3 IEEE 1900.4    118
4.7.4 IEEE 802.22    120
4.7.4.1 General    120
4.7.4.2 802.22 and Smart Grid Application    120
4.7.4.3 Progress    121
4.7.4.4 Overview    122
4.7.4.5 Physical Layer – Major Characteristics    122
4.7.4.6 Cognitive Functions    124
4.7.4.7 Summary    125
4.7.5 IEEE 802.19    126
4.8 ECMA Activity    127
4.8.1 Beginning    127
4.8.2 Details    127
4.9 Cognitive Networking Alliance (CogNeA) Standard    128
4.10 IETF    128
4.11 Market    129
4.12 Industry    131
Adaptrum    131
Altai    131
Carlson Wireless    133
KTS Wireless    134
Metric Systems    135
Neul    137
Spectrum Bridge    137

5.0 Low-power Consumption Wi-Fi  
5.1 General    141
5.1.1 Marketing Data    141
5.2 Atmel    142
5.3 Atech    143
5.4 GainSpan    144
5.5 G2 Microsystems (Acquired by Roving Networks in 2010)    145
5.6 Redpine Signals    147
5.7 RF Monolithics    149
5.8 Roving Networks    150
5.9 ZeroG (Microchip)    151
6.0 Conclusions    153

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: OSI and 802.11    9
Figure 2: 802.11n MAC    23
Figure 3:  802.11 Protocol Family MAC Frame Structure    25
Figure 4: TAM: Global Sales – Wi-Fi Chipsets ($B)    33
Figure 5: TAM: Global Sales – Wi-Fi Chipsets (Bill. Units)    34
Figure 6: TAM: Global Sales – 802.11n Chipsets ($B)    34
Figure 7: TAM: Global Sales – 802.11n Chipsets (Bill. Units)    35
Figure 8: 802.11n Market Geography    35
Figure 9: 60 GHz Channels    81
Figure 10: 60 GHz Frequencies Plan    82
Figure 11: Spectrum Details    83
Figure 12: Signal Attenuation in 60 GHz Band    84
Figure 13: Absorption Details    85
Figure 14: Bands Features Comparison    87
Figure 15: 802.11ad MAC    98
Figure 16: TVWS Channels    107
Figure 17: TVWS Market Structure    129
Figure 18: PM: Low Power Consumption Wi-Fi Chipsets Sales – Global ($B)    142

LSIT OF TABLES

Table 1: 802.11b Major Characteristics    10
Table 2: 802.11b Channels (GHz)    10
Table 3: 802.11a Modulation    12
Table 4: 802.11g Characteristics    13
Table 5: 802.11 Standards Characteristics – Draft 1.0    17
Table 6: 802.11n PHY    22
Table 7: Comparison: 802.11 Family Members Transfer Rates    23
Table 8: 802.11n Enhancements    28
Table 9: 802.11n Advantages    29
Table 10: 60 GHz Short-reach Radio Standardization    80
Table 11: Directivity    85
Table 12: 60 GHz Links Characteristics    86
Table 13: 802.11ad Major Features    95
Table 14: TV Channels    104
Table 15: IEEE WS-related Standards    111
Table 16: Major Characteristics: IEEE 802.22    123