Australians to demo 10 gigabit wireless data link

We're not exactly sure how we got along before the advent of WiFi (wait, nevermind, we were tethered to our desks), but today we can't wait for the next generation of wireless technology. Well, leave it to Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation to come out of the blue and develop gigabit (yes, gigabit) wireless technology. According to CSIRO's website, the new wireless protocol will use the 55GHz band and will transfer at 10Gbps -- the organization will be showing of this tech by transmitting 16 streams of DVD-quality video over a distance of 250 meters (820 feet), which will apparently only be "one-tenth of the capacity of the link." We've got no idea how long it'll be until our friends Down Under send us some of that gigabit love, although they might want to settle those lawsuits against nearly every American wireless hardware firm first.

[Via Computerworld Australia]

[FrOzeN @ Dec 6th 2006 7:12AM]

You guys will love it, mate. :)

[Intrepid @ Dec 6th 2006 7:28AM]

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!

[Bryan @ Dec 6th 2006 7:43AM]

Does there ever come a point where the speed is just too much? I mean, I don't know if this is the best example to use or not, but having a camera with 55 megapixels as opposed to 10, does it not just become useless?

[Pipeline2112 @ Dec 6th 2006 8:38AM]

I politely disagree.

As far as bandwidth goes, I don't think there's any limit that, once exceeded, becomes frivolous. We'll always demand richer, more-engaging online experiences. Sure, 10 gigabits per second is adequate to broadcast 16 high-definition video streams. But 16 is just a starting-point. 250 feet is just a starting-point. Two-dimensional video 7.1 surround audio and petabyte hard drives are just starting-points. Technology can improve on all of these facets. You might not want 55 megapixels in your camera, but your neighborhood bank's ATM might. Why settle for a security-system with low-resolution, black and white, mono sound when you can capture so much more evidence just by upping the technology?

We don't all need to be personal movieplexes (although some aspire to be), but we can always use better communications - cell networks, GPS, home, office, school, defense, everywhere.

Share and enjoy.

[Matias Korhonen @ Dec 6th 2006 10:29AM]

There are plenty of uses for such technology beyond the consumer. I'm sure that a 10Gbps link would be quite handy for some backbone links (think two buildings across the street or across a park or field.)

As for the 55 mega pixel camera, I'm sure that there are plenty of uses where extra detail would be handy. Think about assessing buildings or using them for aerial photography...

[Unomi @ Dec 6th 2006 7:43AM]

I dunno.... One second we read about a pain-gun at 95Ghz and now a WiFi connection at 55Ghz. People already complain about the 2.4Ghz range and cancer etc.

Is it such a good thing al those Gigahertz penetrating all and everything?

We rather have a good digital life than a good physical life.

- Unomi -

[m @ Dec 7th 2006 3:41AM]

Unomi, that's exactly what I was thinking. If the "pain gun" can do serious damage by transmitting EM waves at 94 GHz, then a 55 GHz wireless signal has gotta be a health issue. Yes, it isn't as much power, but low power exposure over a long/continuous period of time, may be a problem. I doubt the company has done any health related research, since electronics companies rarely do.

[Johnny Wikked @ Dec 6th 2006 7:45AM]

Hopefully this gets the Internet Providers into gear.
Unless you live in a big city (Melbourne/Sydney probably Perth and Brisbane) there's little chance for you to have cable.
ADSL is what rules the roost here, and alot of the time it's extremely expensive.
I'm paying AUS$60 a month for 512k/128k, with one of the worse companies. 6 months ago I was paying $120 for the same.

Compared to America, Australia's Internet speeds are a joke.

[Greg @ Dec 6th 2006 8:11AM]

True that!

Australia needs to revise the broadband structure and especially pricing in Australia! Its too expensive.

Its all well and good that Telstra has made 8mbs available to other ISP's, but the pricing is insane ($150+ a month for 8mbs!)

We are laging well behind the rest of the world!

[Dean @ Dec 6th 2006 8:14AM]

$150 a month? Where did you get that from, I'll be paying no more than $79 for 20G.

[hgreerii @ Dec 6th 2006 8:54AM]

"Compared to America, Australia's Internet speeds are a joke."

And sadly, compared to Korea or even the Dutch, America's Internet speeds are a joke.

[Tommy Tom Tom @ Dec 6th 2006 10:02AM]

You see, the internet is a series of pipes... And these pipes are getting clogged by people downloading movies.. errr.. nevermind.... As for the cameras. Well, you're talking apples and oranges.
1. Not all megapixels are created equally.
2. A 10 megapixel camera can range from $1,200 to $35,000 (lenses not included.)
3. Don't think that this technology is aimed at consumers. Do you think NASA would be happy with a Kodak Easyshare and having to run copper to the Hubble so it could transmit images over a 1200 bps modem?

Bryan asked:
Does there ever come a point where the speed is just too much? I mean, I don't know if this is the best example to use or not, but having a camera with 55 megapixels as opposed to 10, does it not just become useless?

[Justin @ Dec 6th 2006 10:21AM]

Everything in Australia is a ripoff. Not only broadband internet.

Now that I've moved to the US (I'm originally from Perth, Australia) I've realised that everything is much cheaper here because there are more people and hence more competition.

One way to get around paying crazy amounts for an internet connection is to split the broadband bill with your neighbour. Just get a good wifi setup and everyones happy :-D

[Aaron @ Dec 10th 2006 1:59AM]

Neat, but this really doesn't matter. As long as the greedy telecom companies keep pretending 768 kbps is "hi-speed", all the new technology will go to waste. Let's use the bandwidth our machines are already capable of before making 10 Gb wireless hardware.

Now, if this is just for transferring data on local networks, then fine, but I'd like to be able to actually download files from the internet at those speeds. Sadly, unless I move to Japan or something, it's probably not going to happen for a couple of decades at least.