Qualcomm and Facebook are Teaming Up To Bring Fast Wi-Fi to Cities
Uber fast Wi-Fi may be coming to you soon.
Qualcomm is joining Facebook in its effort to bring low-cost, fast Wi-Fi to cities by 2019.
The two companies announced the joint effort earlier this week. It’s called the Terragraph Project and it’s been in the works since Facebook first announced it at the company’s 2016 annual developer conference, describing the project as a “multi-node wireless system focused on bringing high-speed internet connectivity to dense urban areas.”
“It is based on the pre-802.11ay standard with enhancements provided by the Qualcomm Technologies’ chipset and the integrated software between Facebook and Qualcomm Technologies to support efficient outdoor operation and avoid interference in dense environments,” Qualcomm writes in the announcement.
Terragraph is meant to bring faster Internet speeds and at a lower cost than fiber technology, allowing manufacturers to build routers capable of sending data at 60GHz speeds.
“With Terragraph, our goal is to enable people living in urban areas to access high-quality connectivity that can help create new opportunities and strengthen communities,” said Yael Maguire, vice president of connectivity with Facebook.
Qualcomm and Facebook are testing a mesh network to provide millimeter wave Wi-Fi using unlicensed airwaves, not last-mile wireless broadband to individual homes.
San Jose has already been mentioned as the the potential testing ground for the technology. The Silicon Valley hub should prove a solid testing ground with its tech savvy population. The two companies say the tech will be useful in lowering the cost of high-speed wireless and helping deliver connectivity to populated areas with significant obstacles, including those densely packed with buildings.
