Users frustrated by Apple’s reluctance to include 3G connectivity in the MacBook Air may have something to look forward to! The IEEE standards group that oversees WiFi technology has just approved a brand new next-gen Wifi 802.22 technology that could allow your home network to span up to 60 miles!
The new technology works by using television bands previously tied up by analog TV broadcasts, and can reportedly generate a wireless connection covering up to a 100 kilometer area at a speed of 22Mbps.
While it wouldn’t necessarily be great for performing large file transfers within your network, the 22Mbps speed would be more than adequate for broadcasting your broadband internet connection.
While the fact that the new standard was approved is exciting, there is no indication of how long it could take for this technology to begin showing up in our gadgets – or how it performs under real-world conditions.
Personally, I’m hoping for this to come sooner rather than later! I can certainly see myself purchasing about 30 of these, setting one up for my home, and then setting up repeaters at the homes of friends and neighbors about every 30-40 miles in either direction of my home town. Yay for cross-country road-trips with full Wi-Fi service!
