gigabit wireless
{{Short description|Telecommunications classification}}
Gigabit wireless is the name given to wireless communication systems whose data transfer speeds reach or exceed one gigabit (one billion bits) per second. Such speeds are achieved with complex modulations of the signal, such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) or signals spanning many frequencies. When a signal spans many frequencies, physicists refer that a wide bandwidth signal. In the communication industry, many wireless internet service providers and cell phone companies deploy wireless radio frequency antennas to backhaul core networks, connect businesses, and even individual residential homes.[http://www.gigabitwirelessnetworks.com/tag/high-capacity-wireless-backhaul/ "High Capacity Wireless Backhaul Solutions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021094359/http://www.gigabitwirelessnetworks.com/tag/high-capacity-wireless-backhaul/ |date=2016-10-21 }}, Gigabit Wireless Networks. Retrieved 04 March 2016.[http://www.siklu.com/solution/gtth/ "Gigabit To The Home"], Siklu. Retrieved 04 March 2016.
Common frequencies and bands
{{further|topic=indoor wireless protocols|IEEE 802.11ac|WiGig}}
In general, indoor protocols follow a cross-vendor standard and communicate in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and (soon) 60 GHz bands.
The outdoor carrier link protocols vary widely and are not compatible across vendors (and often models from the same vendor).
Note: the higher bandwidth devices require a less complex modulation to achieve high speeds.
| class="wikitable"
|+ Capable of a Symmetric Gigabit Link ! Brand ! Description ! In Production |
| Mikrotik [https://mikrotik.com/product/lhg_60g LHG 60G speeds up to 1 Gbps], mikrotik.com. Retrieved 01 February 2021
| V Band | Yes |
| Mimosa
| licensed 11 GHz antennas, and unlicensed 5 GHz | Yes |
| Siklu
| V and E Band | Yes |
| Ubiquiti
| Unlicensed 5, 24 and 60 GHz | Yes |
| Bridgewave
| V and E Band | Yes |
| Vubiq
| V Band |
| Athena
| V Band | No (bought by Google) [https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/techflash/2015/04/google-buys-west-valley-company.html Google buys Phoenix-area wireless R&D company], bizjournals.com, Apr 14, 2015 |
| IgniteNet [https://www.ignitenet.com/products/metrolinq-2-5-ptp/ IgniteNet MetroLinq PtP and PtMP Systems], IgniteNet.com. Retrieved 07 February 2018
| Unlicensed 60 GHz + 5 GHz Failover | Yes |
| Facebook [https://terragraph.com/ Terrgraph], Facebook is developing and testing a 60 GHz meshing antenna
| V Band | R&D only |
Wireless broadband
Internet service providers (ISP's) are looking for ways to expand gigabit per second (Gbit/s) high-speed services to their customers. These can be achieved through fiber to the premises broadband network architecture, or a more affordable alternative using fixed wireless in the last mile in combination with the fiber networks in the middle mile in order to reduce the costs of trenching fiber optic cables to the users. In the United States, 60 GHz V band is unlicensed. This makes the V band an appealing choice to be used as fixed wireless access for Gbit/s services to connect to homes and businesses. Similarly, 70/80 GHz E band is lightly licensed which can be more accessible to more providers to provide such services.{{cite news|last1=Alleven|first1=Monica|title=60 GHz band particularly appealing for fixed wireless: report|url=https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/60-ghz-band-particularly-appealing-for-fixed-wireless-report|accessdate=16 January 2018|work=Fierce Wireless|date=25 October 2017}}
There had been some early adopters of the hybrid fiber-wireless approach to provide Gbit/s services to customers. One of those ISP's was Webpass, a company founded in 2003 in San Francisco as a wireless ISP focusing on buildings in big cities. Since then, Webpass had been increasing the speeds along with improved wireless technologies. By 2015, Webpass offered 1 Gbit/s connections to commercial customers, however, the residential customers were limited to speeds of up to 500 Mbit/s to share the 1 Gbit/s wireless link among many residents in the same building. The company utilized a combination of various licensed and unlicensed bands.{{cite news|last1=Brodkin|first1=Jon|title=500Mbps broadband for $55 a month offered by wireless ISP|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/500mbps-broadband-for-55-a-month-offered-by-wireless-isp/|accessdate=23 January 2018|work=ARS Technica|date=19 June 2015}}
In January 2016, a startup company Starry from Boston introduced Starry Point with the goal to provide Gbit/s speed internet wirelessly to homes. The device is a fixed wireless unit attached to a window as an access point to connect to Starry core networks using a millimetre wave band communication. The company did not reveal the details of the band, but claimed to be "the world’s first millimeter wave band active phased array technology for consumer internet communications".{{cite news|last1=Kovach|first1=Steve|title=This startup wants to bring super-fast, wireless internet to your home|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/starry-wireless-gigabit-internet-launching-2016-1|accessdate=22 January 2018|work=Business Insider|date=27 January 2016}} However, in January 2018, at the time that the company announced the expansion of its beta service to cover 3 cities: Boston, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, the speeds were still limited to up to 200 Mbit/s.{{cite news|last1=Gartenberg|first1=Chaim|title=Boston startup Starry expands its wireless broadband beta service to LA and DC 10|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/1/4/16851272/starry-wireless-broadband-millimeter-wave-los-angeles-washington-dc-boston|accessdate=22 January 2018|work=The Verge|date=4 January 2018}}
In June 2016, Google Fiber acquired Webpass to boost its effort in its experiments with wireless technologies.{{cite news|last1=Kharpal|first1=Arjun|title=Google Fiber buys Webpass to boost its high-speed internet business|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/23/google-fiber-buys-webpass-to-boost-its-high-speed-internet-business.html|accessdate=23 January 2018|work=CNBC|date=23 June 2016}} As a result, Google Fiber put its effort on fiber to the premises on hold to explore more on the cheaper wireless alternative.{{cite news|last1=Bookman|first1=Samantha|title=Google Fiber's Webpass acquisition may be behind San Jose, other cities' rollout delay|url=https://www.fiercetelecom.com/telecom/google-fiber-s-webpass-acquisition-may-be-behind-san-jose-other-cities-rollout-delay|accessdate=23 January 2018|work=FierceTelecom|date=9 August 2016}} By early 2017, the Webpass division of Google Fiber expanded 1 Gbit/s wireless service to customers in many cities in the United States.{{cite news|last1=Brodkin|first1=Jon|title=Google Fiber makes expansion plans for $60 wireless gigabit service|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/02/google-fiber-makes-expansion-plans-for-60-wireless-gigabit-service/|accessdate=23 January 2018|work=ARS Technica|date=22 February 2017}}
In November 2016, Atlas Networks, an ISP that serves Seattle, deployed its V-band Gbit/s service to customers within the {{convert|750|m|mile|adj=on}} to its fiber networks. The maximum throughput for each connection was 1 gigabit per second.{{cite news|last1=Hamilton|first1=Laura|title=Atlas Networks Delivers Wireless Gigabit Internet in Seattle|url=https://www.cedmagazine.com/news/2016/11/atlas-networks-delivers-wireless-gigabit-internet-seattle|accessdate=22 January 2018|work=CED Magazine|date=14 November 2016|archive-date=22 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122130908/https://www.cedmagazine.com/news/2016/11/atlas-networks-delivers-wireless-gigabit-internet-seattle|url-status=dead}}
In October 2017, Cloudwifi, a startup ISP based in Kitchener, Ontario started using 60 GHz band fixed wireless to provide Gbit/s connectivity to customers within the {{convert|2|km|mile|adj=on}} range of its fiber connection points.{{cite news|last1=Hetting|first1=Claus|title=Cloudwifi cuts Internet costs in half – with fibre & IgniteNet 60 GHz radio|url=https://wifinowevents.com/news-and-blog/canadas-cloudwifi-cuts-internet-costs-half-powered-ignitenets-60-ghz-radios/|accessdate=22 January 2018|work=WiFi Now|date=23 October 2017}}
In October 2017, Newark Fiber enabled its first customer in Newark, New Jersey with 10 Gbit/s fixed wireless service.{{cite news|last1=Quaintance|first1=Zack|title=What's New in Civic Tech: Cybersecurity Expert Calls for Creation of 'Cyber Peace Corps'|url=http://www.govtech.com/civic/Whats-New-In-Civic-Tech-Cybersecurity-Expert-Calls-for-Creation-of-Cyber-Peace-Corps.html|accessdate=22 January 2018|work=Government Technology|date=26 October 2017}} Newark Fiber used V-band 10 Gbit/s transmitters with the distance of up to {{convert|1.8|km|mile}}.{{cite news|title=New Technology Deployment Announced at Second Annual Newark Tech Summit|url=https://www.vubiqnetworks.com/news-and-events/press-releases/vubiq-haulpass-v10g-deployed-in-newarks-2-gateway-building-first-in-city-to-offer-10-gigabit-fixed-wireless-connectivity/|accessdate=9 October 2021|work=Vubiq|date=18 October 2017}}