New Wi-Fi standard approved

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 29 Aug 2008 at 08:02

The IEEE has completed a new Wi-Fi standard that will make it easier for mobile devices to move seamlessly between access points.

802.11r is designed specifically for VoIP, making it easier for mobile handsets to keep conversations running smoothly as you move from one Wi-Fi hotspot to another.

The original 802.11 standard was only designed to be used with a single access point. But the emergence of Wi-Fi in mobile handsets and subsequent VoIP applications has furthered the need for a smoother handover process.

Current Wi-Fi equipment can take several seconds to complete the handover from one access point to another, resulting in dropped phone calls.

The new standard will complete the process in just 50ms, by establishing a security and quality of service state with the new access point before handover.

802.11r has been a work in progress for around four years, but was finally approved by the IEEE earlier this summer. It's expected to be used mainly for corporate VoIP equipment.

The IEEE is, of course, still picking its way through the completion of the 802.11n standard, which was introduced back in 2004, but isn't expected to be fully ratified until next Spring.