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AT&T Launches More 'Airgig' Gigabit Wireless Trials

AT&T says the company has launched several new trials for the company's gigabit-capable "Airgig" wireless broadband service. AT&T unveiled AirGig last year, noting that the system will utilize low-cost plastic antennas and devices located along the power line to regenerate millimeter wave (mmWave) wireless signals at up to gigabit speeds. AT&T says its utility-pole solution would mean "low hardware and deployment costs while maintaining the highest signal quality," and could see at least some form of initial deployment this year.

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In a new announcement, the company says it's launching a new international trial, as well as a new, second trial across a limited portion of Georgia.

AT&T says the company is working with Georgia Power on that trial, while the international trial is occurring in an undisclosed country somewhere outside of the United States. AT&T has yet to offer any insight on real-world speeds or prices for the looming service, or when users could actually see a full commercial launch (assuming it happens at all). The efforts shouldn't be confused with broadband over powerline (BPL), a power-line technology largely abandoned due to heavy interference potential.

For Airgig, AT&T says that AT&T Labs engineers have invented low-cost plastic antennas, a Radio Distributed Antenna System (RDAS), mmWave surface wave launchers and inductive power devices that will operate as the heart of the system.

The RDAS will reconstruct signals for multi-gigabit mobile and fixed deployments. A typical DAS carries cellular signals throughout buildings and stadiums, using fiber and/or coaxial cables to transmit analog signals, AT&T says.

"We hope that one day there will be no need to build new towers or bury new cables in locations close to aerial power lines," AT&T says of the offering. "Instead, using AirGig patented technology, we would install devices to provide high speed broadband which can be clamped on by trained electrical workers in just a few minutes."

Most recommended from 12 comments


videomatic3
join:2003-12-12
Pleasanton, CA

10 recommendations

videomatic3

Member

Hmm

Still would rather have a hardline, but if they deployed this maybe it would get other companies to try harder to deliver better speeds then I won't have to sign up for this
AppFarmer
join:2016-05-24
Salinas, CA
·Charter

1 edit

7 recommendations

AppFarmer

Member

"competition" for the wired broadband industry is wireless

As much noise as there may be regarding FTTH to compete with Cable, wireless expansion is likely to be the only broad-based competition Cable is going to see in this country. The "ideal" solution, obviously, would have been for the FCC to use Title II to force POTS to be replaced with FTTH, with allowances for wireless only in the most inhospitable regions. Neither the current nor even the former FCC has indicated any inclination to do that, however. The most disappointing thing about the new situation is we're still likely to see a situation where most of the providers would basically offer the same awful plans and consumers are left only choosing between technology and customer service. If T-Mobile were to enter the home Internet business (or another provider with a broad reach and upstart mentality), however, it could be interesting. All T-Mobile would have to do is allow unlimited tethering at LTE speeds (though unlimited LTE for dedicated hotspots would be better)

EDIT: T-Mobile has this! The T-Mobile ONE Plus International plan adds unlimited LTE tethering at a cost of $25/month/line. It's way more expensive than my AT&T Mobley plan, but viable for anyone who has few alternatives.