WiFi Wrangles

The two companies are pursuing different routes to standardising on MIMO-enhanced WiFi devices (802.11n).

“We have 802.11n silicon which supports the draft standard which is software upgradeable to what will be required when we progress from the draft to the final standard,” said Dr Ed Frank, vice-president of R&D at Broadcom.

Jumping down Frank’s throat immediately was Airgo’s director of product management, Dave Borison: “It’s outrageous to say there’s silicon based on a standard that is software upgradeable. There is no draft standard,” said Borison. “We’re not at draft 1.0 yet, we’re still at the proposal stage. It’s outrageous, Broadcom is confusing the customers.”

Borison conceded that Airgo’s 802.11n customers were also taking a risk in adopting pre-standardised silicon. “Our customers market their products not as 802.11n, but as compliant with 802.11a, b, and g, and they are fully compliant with a, b, and g standards,” he explained.

“Our customers benefit from eliminating dead-spots in homes and offices and by improved throughput.”

Frank took the approach that customers are well able to understand the risks involved in using pre-standardised silicon.

“Customers are cognizant of the state of the standard,” said Frank, “so they work with vendors which are delivering pre-final standard silicon which can be changed to deal with changes in the standard.”

Airgo is banking on its position as technology leader in MIMO to bring out a standardised part first. “We will be first to market with 802.11n products which are IEEE compliant, guaranteed to be interoperable with other 802.11n products,” said Borison.

Broadcom is banking on its ability to time its market entry. “In the 802.11g market Broadcom was accused of jumping the market by setting an early standard,” said Frank, “but it gave Broadcom a jump start, and we became market leader in that market.”