Wireless LAN Interoperability Forum Membership Grows to Further Interoperability of Wireless LAN Products
ATLANTA — February 22, 1999 — Symbionics and TX-COM Join WLIF Membership Utilizing OpenAir, IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN Standards to Increase Functionality of Leading Mobile Products
Further promoting interoperable products and services to customers through today's leading wireless local area networking (LAN) standards, the Wireless LAN Interoperability Forum (WLIF) today at the 1999 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Exposition and Conference announced that membership has increased to 22 OEMs and wireless solutions providers implementing both the OpenAir(TM) and IEEE 802.11 standards.
Most recently, Symbionics, Ltd., a Cadence Company (Cambridge, UK), and TX-COM SA (Paris) have joined the WLIF.
The WLIF is the industry's only established organization focused solely on increasing growth of the wireless LAN industry by delivering interoperable solutions. WLIF members currently deliver the broadest range of interoperable products via the OpenAir standard, established in 1996. Currently, WLIF member companies have certified more than 40 products, including mobile computers and portable devices, which interoperate under the OpenAir standard.
The forum is also actively working on interoperability test suites for both the IEEE 802.11 frequency hopping and direct sequence standards, around which many members are building products, and interoperability certification will commence this spring.
"We are happy to welcome these highly reputable European companies to the WLIF. It's exciting that our membership has continued to branch out internationally as we work to certify as interoperable today's leading handheld and computing devices through members' unified efforts," said WLIF Chairman Mike Jones of Intermec Technologies Corp.
"The WLIF's continuous addition of companies utilizing various wireless LAN standards further solidifies the industry's commitment to an organization promoting all open standards, and demonstrates the industry's continued need for truly interoperable products."
About the New WLIF Members
Symbionics is a design services company focusing on the development of products, components and technologies for the wireless and multimedia markets. TX-COM is the leading wireless solutions provider in Europe, supplying handheld and vehicle mounted devices, as well as complete wireless network installation, support and maintenance services.
More information about these new members can be found on the WLIF website at www.wlif.com, or from the companies' websites: Symbionics at www.symbionics.co.uk, and TX-COM at www.txcom.fr.
About OpenAir
The WLIF established OpenAir as an interoperable wireless LAN standard in 1996, and the standard is available to any company that joins the forum. OpenAir includes the physical (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layer information required to achieve interoperability, and continues to be the most widely accepted and only true interoperable standard today.
OpenAir operates in the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) frequency band and utilizes frequency hopping spread spectrum frequency technology, which is both highly secure and exceptionally immune to interference. The standard is designed to provide the industry's products with the best combination of features for mobile wireless LAN applications, including high speed, long range, low power consumption, network scalability and advanced network management.
OpenAir and all products utilizing its technology are certified interoperable by an independent test lab, XXCAL Testing Laboratories in Los Angeles.
About IEEE 802.11
IEEE 802.11 was first conceived in 1990 and ratified as a standard by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 1997. IEEE 802.11 defines three PHY characteristics for wireless LANs — diffused infrared, and direct sequence and frequency hopping spread spectrum, the latter two networks operating at the 2.4 GHz band.
The standard supports 1- and 2-Mbps data rates, and work is underway with the IEEE 802.11 Working Group for higher speed standards in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. These new standards are expected to be completed next year.
The IEEE 802.11 has no provision for interoperability testing and certification.
About the Wireless LAN Interoperability Forum
The WLIF is a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 to promote the growth of the wireless LAN industry by delivering interoperable products and services at all levels of the value chain. The WLIF actively supports the development of all standards that foster interoperability and industry growth.
Currently, the WLIF is providing the OpenAir specification that allows independent parties to develop compatible products. To ensure interoperability, the WLIF has defined a clear method of testing and labeling OpenAir-certified products through the national independent test lab XXCAL Testing Laboratories.
The WLIF continues to expand its work toward interoperability by incorporating additional standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standard. With technical oversight from the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab, the WLIF technical committee has developed and ratified interoperability test suites for both the 802.11 frequency hopping and 802.11 direct sequence standards. For more information, see www.wlif.com.
Membership is open to all companies that develop, manufacture or sell open specification-compatible wireless LAN products, or plan to do so. For more information about membership, call Mike Jones at 425/348-2681. WLIF members include Citadel, Data General, Fujitsu Personal Systems, Hand Held Products, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, IDWare, Intermec, Kansai, Kinetic Computer, LXE, MaxTech, Mitsubishi Electronics America, Monarch Marketing Systems, Motorola, NEC-CSD, Percon, Proxim, Sharp, Simbionics, Ltd., Telos, and TX-COM SA.
Note to Editors: All company and product brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT:
Intermec Technologies Corp.
Mike Jones, 425/348-2681
mike.jones@intermec.com