QMax to trial Cisco 802.11n gear
SINGAPORE--QMax, one of the operators of Singapore's free wireless broadband network, will be the first in the island-state to trial what is said to be the industry's first certified 802.11n Draft 2.0 access point.
QMax plans to undergo a round of internal testing with Cisco's equipment for two to three months, said QMax Director Alex Tan, at a press briefing Friday. QMax has not committed to further plans for a public trial as yet, but Tan said that it will be in the works, if the internal trial goes well.
Cisco's Aironet 1250 Series is said to be the first access point to have passed certification based on the Wi-Fi Alliance's 802.11n Draft 2.0 specifications. The equipment can be purchased from next month.
Other products released on the new Wi-Fi standard include a 48Gbps WLAN controller, the Catalyst 6500.
The 802.11n standard, which is expected to be ratified by September 2008, is regarded as a great improvement to the current 802.11g standard. The connection is expected to be several times faster, have a longer range and increased reliability through fewer dropped packets.
Some vendors like Motorola, however, are waiting for the 802.11n standard to be finalized and approved before going ahead with production.