News

Multi-Band OFDM Alliance Members to Formalize Industry Working Group; Industry Leaders Plan To Formalize Group for Development, Promotion of MB-OFDM UWB (23/2/2004)

As support continues to build for the Multi-Band OFDM Alliance (MBOA) and its Multi-Band-OFDM based Ultra- Wideband (UWB) radio technology, the membership announces plans to formalize its status as a formal Special Interest Group (SIG).

The MBOA, with broad participation from industry leading companies in the semiconductor, consumer electronics, PC and peripheral, and mobile device segments, are driving efforts to create a complete specification for a MB-OFDM based solution for the PHY, PHY-MAC interface, and MAC layer for the emerging UWB radio technology. The MBOA members have spent the last year developing technology and making improvements based on industry feedback from the IEEE selection process.

This specification targets emerging wireless personal area network (WPAN) communications which will enable high-speed, short range, cable free interconnects for a wide array of multimedia consumer electronics, PC peripherals, and mobile devices. Kursat Kimyacioglu, director of wireless business development at Philips states, "The MBOA addresses the interests of PC, CE and Mobile device manufacturers as well as the silicon vendors supporting these markets. This is very much in line with Philips' objectives. The MBOA proposal offers the highest potential to become the most pervasive and universally accepted ultra-high speed networking solution that is backed up by all segments of the industry."

By formalizing as a SIG, the MBOA puts in place additional structure to more fully harness the contributions of its rapidly increasing membership. At present, the MBOA has more than 60 member companies most of which are widely regarded as both leaders and innovators in their domains. "The MBOA specification will be the first UWB specification which has multiple vendors implementing independent designs that will go through interoperability prior to final standardization." according to Mark Fidler of HP's Imaging and Printing Systems Group.

While keeping with its desires to continue to drive a specification for formal submission to existing standards bodies such as the IEEE 802.15.3a, the MBOA now will have the means to act as a more formal open industry forum for the development and promotion of optimal UWB technology and specifications. Efforts to date have already produced acknowledgements from the Wireless USB Promoter Group recognizing MBOA's technology as a viable UWB radio alternative to IEEE802.15.3a standard. Said Stephen Wood, Technology Strategist within Intel's Communications Technology Labs, "Intel is very pleased to see the formalization of the MBOA. The MBOA's plans to standardize UWB will be a great advance in the delivery of this important new technology to the market."

The MBOA recently announced the imminent availability of a rev.9 specification and expects a fully completed version of the specification in May. Compliant silicon samples are expected from multiple sources by year's end.

www.multibandofdm.org