Intel Begins Shipping 802.11b/g Module

Intel Corp. has begun to ship its next-generation 802.11b/g dual-band module, catching up to competitors such as Broadcom Corp. which began shipping hybrid silicon early last year.

However, Intel doesnt see it that way. According to executives at the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company, the early Wi-Fi client silicon supporting the “g” standard was unsupported by complementary access points. Intels new PRO/Wireless 2200BG part is timed correctly for enterprises to begin moving to the new technology, executives said Thursday.

The new Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG modules will be included in new Centrino notebooks due this quarter, Intel said. In Japan, Fujitsu, Matsushita Electric Industrial, NEC, Sony and Toshiba are expected to announce new notebook PCs using the technology in the next few weeks, Intel said.

Throughout the first generation of Intels “Centrino platform – made up of a “Banias” Pentium M processor, Intel 855 chipset, and an Intel PRO/Wireless card – OEMs such as Dell Computer offered baseline Centrino platforms to take advantage of Intels co-marketing programs, then offered free or low-cost upgrades to dual-band “b/g” chips.

For the full article click

here.