60 GHz spectrum could be feasible within 3 years

We’ve been just a little obsessed with the 700 MHz spectrum over the past few months. It represents to us, as it does many others, a big opportunity to introduce a more consumer-friendly wireless carrier. Of course, Verizon and AT&T might have something to say about that, but with the FCC rules in place, both companies have much less of an incentive to bid on the spectrum, while Google has every reason in the world to do so. But while that spectrum might be the most attractive now, there could be an even more powerful one a few years down the road: 60 GHz.

Scientists at Georgia Tech are currently working with the 60 GHz frequency, hoping to broadcast it just like current frequencies are. This would be a radical upgrade in wireless transfers, and could cause a revolution in how we use our mobile devices.

Of course, everything is experimental now. The current range of the 60GHz frequency is a mere meter, so there is plenty of work to be done in amplifying that signal for broadcast over a vast network. The rate of transfer, however, is astounding: 15 gigabits per second, which roughly translates to two gigabytes. This means that you could download an entire computer game in about a second. It would also create a more reliable platform for streaming audio and video.

Apparently, though, there is a drawback of this spectrum: it doesn’t travel through walls like the 700 MHz spectrum does. Surely, though, there will be ways around this obstacle. It’s the other obstacles that could present the biggest problems.

To date, high data transfers haven’t been made over distances more than a few meters. Equipment that boosts these distances may not be economically feasible or physically possible.

Yes, but it’s still nice to dream about. Just imagine all of the interactive possibilities that could be bestowed by this technology.

[Mobile Crunch]

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