UWB rocks wireless: it's not a new technology, but ultra-wideband's commercial potential is finally getting noticed - Business of Technology

Computer Technology Review, Jan, 2003 by Tony Kern

If any cliche were to sum up UWB, it would be "What's old is new again." UWB has been around since the early 1 960s, known alternately as "carrier-free," "baseband" or "impulse" technology. A favorite of the military for uses such as ground-penetrating radar systems, UWB develops, transmits and receives very-short-duration bursts of radio-frequency energy. As a low-power, low-cost and high-speed technology, UWB has been identified by some startups as a viable alternative to current wireless technologies like Bluetooth and 802.11, and in particular 802.11b, also known as Wi-Fi. Others view it as an adjunct that can enable wireless home theater systems and personal area networks. Recognizing the commercial potential, UWB companies petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow the technology to operate within spectrum already occupied by existing radio services.

Don't Interfere

The startups, which include companies like Time Domain and Xtreme Spectrum, faced opposition in the form of some major Goliaths: wireless carriers like Sprint PCS and AT&T, the US Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Aviation Administration, satellite radio companies and global positioning system companies--more than 900 companies filed petitions against UWB with the FCC. For more than three years, these groups protested to the FCC that UWB would cause signal interference with GPS frequencies, public-safety and air-safety wireless networks, cellular PCS systems and some satellite systems.

"Our concern begins and ends with understanding potential harmful interference," explained Jonas Neihardt, vice president of federal government affairs for Qualcomm. "We hope this whole debate can be resolved by the establishment of scientific facts that reasonable people can agree on."

At least one industry source, however, sees the spectrum interference argument as a dodge for the real issue, noting that "UWB is using 2,000 times less power than the laptop you're using, so the issues of spectrum interference are red herrings. It's spectrum politics."

But, the Davids won at least a partial victory. Last February, the FCC approved the technology for limited commercial development--operating in a limited spectrum of between 3.1GHz and 10.6GHz.

Ultra Power

The result is that UWB will, for now, have an operating range of between 30-100 feet. Proponents say that within that short distance lies the ability to move data at extremely high speeds, ranging from 50Mbps to one gigabit per second and requires low power to achieve it. Compare that with Bluetooth, which transfers data between devices up to 30 feet apart at up to 1Mbps; or Wi-Fi, which offers speeds of 11Mbps but takes more power; or the even faster 802.11a, which cruises at 54Mbps but requires even more power.

"Since UWB is a position sensitive technology, the potential uses are many, including search and rescue and inventory tracking", noted Russ Craig, research director for the Aberdeen Group. But one of the most intriguing applications, said In-Stat MDR analyst Gemma Paolo, is high-end home theater. "One of the gaps in 802.11b is multimedia distribution, like home theater equipment," she said. "We see UWB as a solution. Because it has more speed, it can handle more data in terms of video distribution."

Gene Monacelli, national telecommunications leader, management solutions and services of Deloitte & Touche's TMT Group, said that the home entertainment application will only work if the prices are low. He brought up another potential application for UWB: "There is talk that if the power is increased and repeater stations are built, UWB could have yet another, potentially explosive application as a challenge to current mobile phone technology. You wouldn't have to replace the battery for weeks at a time. And, it's pretty secure."

But still, this is a technology not quite ready for prime time. Standards are still in the discussion phase and, while some companies have products in the pipeline, other companies are waiting.

Construction equipment maker Zircon is among those on the fence for now. The firm had taken a look at UWB for use as an underground pipe and sensor, but with a small staff and limited resources, has abandoned it for now.

"We felt it would take too long to develop a product," said Dan Harrell, Zircon's director of communications. "It doesn't mean we won't go back to it at some point. It was strictly a matter of resources. We think there are advantages to the technology, such as being able to find things like rebar and concrete at great depths or behind a wall."

Qualcomm, which had been among the wireless carriers opposing the commercialization of UWB, is still "intrigued and interested in exploring UWB," said Neihardt.

Neihardt doesn't anticipate UWB replacing cell phone technology, but he says that, like Bluetooth and 802.11 technologies, UWB could be incorporated into a phone to handle high-bandwidth applications.

"Let's say that I have a Kyocera smart phone with a chipset that contains a IJWB mode," he explained. "I could run around and use it as a phone, and when I wanted to use my laptop, I could go into UWB mode and sync with the phone without physically connecting the devices. It would let you move more data faster than with Bluetooth."