NEC increases wireless LAN speeds to 25Mbps

NEC has developed a high-speed wireless LAN card for use with portable computers. The PC Card device, which won't be available for two years, offers transmission speeds of up to 25Mbps. The company claims this is over 12 times faster than existing wireless LAN technology.

The card uses NEC's V800 RISC processor and is fully programmable. The card also offers a roam facility, allowing users to automatically establish and maintain network connections.

Current wireless LAN products operate at speeds of 2Mbps and fixed network speeds are around 10Mbps on standard Ethernet. Around 6Mbps is needed for full motion video.

NEC is looking at developing the technology for use with mainstream consumer applications such as mobile shopping. The company is also committed to establishing the network infrastructure needed to promote the new technology.