There's new Wi-Fi on the way. This is not exactly the normal technology that underlies traditional Wi-Fi. It uses different frequencies, and requires ad hoc equipment, but has much greater coverage than traditional Wi-Fi. In theory it could reach up to a hundred miles, although, for practical applications, it will probably be limited to a radius of a few miles. It uses a hitherto unused part of the spectrum used by television broadcasts (the so-called 'white spaces'). Television frequencies, in addition to the greater distance covered, have the advantage of penetrating walls and houses and of being relatively insensitive to bad weather.
It has been tested on the campus of Rice University in Houston (Texas) and also in Wilmington, North Carolina. But to make a difference in diffusion, PC and mobile phone manufacturers need to adopt chips that can accept both Wi-Fi and Super Wi-Fi. It is promoted by the White Space Alliance, and Texas Instrument, which is a member of the Alliance, has said that manufacturers are ready to introduce equipment that supports the two systems.
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