It seems that AT&T has been cooking an exciting and very curious network technology for some time, and this was only revealed when the company recently announced the end product: a multi-gigabit wireless broadband technology that piggybacks on existing power lines.
AT&T has been experimenting on the broadband technology dubbed as AirGig for ten years. Essentially, it uses plastic antennas that are placed in medium-voltage lines to enable high-speed internet. Specifically, the routers are built on the top of the electric poles where they wirelessly transmit signals to homes and businesses within what AT&T called as gigabit Wi-Fi system. The AirGig technology can purportedly deliver ultra-fast internet within its range.
For some, the system could sound like a small cell site. But the AirGig project is radically different primarily because it is a highly distributed network model, pioneering a new way to the deployment of both wired and wireless internet.
"Project AirGig has tremendous potential to transform internet access globally — well beyond our current broadband footprint and not just in the United States," John Donovan, chief strategy officer and group president at AT&T's Technology and Operations unit, said in an official statement. "The results we've seen from our outdoor labs testing have been encouraging, especially as you think about where we're heading in a 5G world."
Field trials will only begin next year, but AT&T seems to have already worked on the technology, having stated that it has been built from the ground up and tested successful in experiments conducted at AT&T facilities.
Project AirGig's implication is expected to assume transformational proportions especially since it is touted to be easier to deploy than fiber and that it runs over license-free spectrum. More importantly, the installation of network infrastructure will entail less cost without the need to build new towers and layout more cable, which could entail tearing roads to bury them from sight.
The company is currently scouting for locations globally for the field test. The international scope of this search is attributed to the need for a location with favorable regulatory environment. The field trial requires AT&T to partner with an electric company.
These field trials will primarily determine the frequency that will be used when AirGig is finally introduced commercially. The frequency is a critical factor in developing the technology because it affects the speed and range of transmitted data.
There is still no definite date set for the AirGig availability, but the conservative estimate is around 2020.
