와이기그(WiGig, Wireless Gigabit Alliance)

와이기그(WiGig, Wireless Gigabit Alliance)는 비허가된 60 GHz 이상의 주파수 대역으로 동작하는 멀티 기가비트 속도의 무선 통신 기술의 채택을 제고하는 단체이자 802.11ad를 대표하는 이름이다.

와이기그 (802.11ad)의 제작은 2009년 5월 7일 발표되었다. 완성된 버전의 1.0 와이기그 규격은 2009년 12월에 발표되었다. 2010년 5월 와이기그는 이 규격의 출판, 채용자 프로그램 개시, 와이파이 기술 확장 협조를 위한 와이파이 얼라이언스와의 동의를 선언하였다. 2011년 6월 와이기그는 공인 준비가 된 버전 1.1 규격 공개를 발표하였다.

와이기그 규격은 장치들이 선 없이 멀티 기가비트 속도로 통신할 수 있도록 도와 준다. 오늘날 무선 랜 장치의 기능을 보충하는 고성능 무선 데이터, 디스플레이, 오디오 응용을 가능케 한다. 와이기그 트라이밴드는 2.4, 5, 60 GHz 대역을 운영하는 장치들이 초당 최대 7 기가비트의 속도로 데이터를 전송할 수 있게 하는데, 이는 기존의 와이파이 장치들과의 호환성을 유지하면서도 8개 안테나의 802.11ac 전송 속도, 최고 802.11n 속도보다 10배 더 빠른 속도와 맞먹는다.

Computerworld - Intel on Thursday demonstrated multi-gigabit wireless docking technology that affords speeds of up to 7Gbps, 10 times the rate of the fastest Wi-Fi networks based on the IEEE 802.11n standard.

At its annual Intel Developers Forum, the chip maker demonstrated Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) docking technology using an ultrabook. The company said WiGig is on track to becoming the most important next-generation multi-gigabit wireless technology.

Intel CTO Justin Rattner said there will come a day when an ultrabook or tablet can be dropped anywhere on a desk and automatically connect to a display monitor and peripherals.

"Looking to the future, all computing will become wireless computing, with an ever-increasing demand for faster wireless communication," Rattner said in a statement. "I'm excited by what I've seen from WiGig technology so far -- not only its multi-gigabit throughput capability, but also the flexibility of the single technology to support a wide range of... applications."

Intel demonstrated the WiGig technology, combined with advanced protocol adaption layers (PAL) designed for PC and mobile applications.

The WiGig medium access control (MAC) and physical (PHY) control specification operates in the unlicensed 60GHz frequency band, which has more spectrum available than the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands used by existing Wi-Fi products. This allows wider channels that support faster transmission speeds.

Potential uses for wireless docking technology. (Source: WiGig Alliance)

The WiGig specification is based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, which is at the core of hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi products deployed worldwide, according to the Wireless Gigabit Alliance, a nonprofit standards organization.

The specification includes native support for Wi-Fi over 60GHz, and new devices with tri-band radios will be able to seamlessly integrate into 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, the WiGig Alliance stated.

Several other members of the Wireless Gigabit Alliance plan to demonstrate WiGig technology at CES 2013 in Las Vegas in January.

According to Ali Sadri, chairman of the WiGig Alliance, the specification also supports wireless implementations of HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces, as well as the High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) scheme used to protect digital content transmitted over those interfaces. It scales to allow transmission of both compressed and uncompressed video.

The WiGig specification, for example, allows for wireless connectivity using HDMI and display extensions, so that laptops may one day be able to connect to televisions and stream video.

"Intel demo'ing WiGig ... is a big deal for us and the industry," Sadri said. "It is recognition from one of the world's leading vendors that WiGig is real and has a bright future.

"In just a few years to come, I believe people will not know what they did without it," Sadri said. "The technology is nearly ready, and with chips from multiple WiGig member companies already in production and certification ready for mid-2013, I would expect a real explosion in the number of WiGig devices coming to market soon."