Intel to invest $150 million in Wi-Fi companies

IDG News Service - Intel Corp. plans to invest $150 million in companies developing 802.11b and other wireless networking products, the chip maker announced today.
The money, coming from the $500 million Intel Communications Fund established three years ago, should help accelerate the deployment of wireless networks and proliferate the 802.11b standard worldwide, Intel said in a statement.
The fund will invest in companies developing hardware and software products and services that enable user-friendly and secure wireless network connections, simpler billing procedures, a robust infrastructure and new ways to connect while on the road, Intel said.
802.11b, or Wi-Fi, is a standard for wireless LANs operating in the 2.4-GHz spectrum and offering transmission speeds up to 11M bit/sec. The technology is used for wireless public "hot spots" at airports, hotels and conference centers, as well as by companies and consumers, which use it for wireless networks in homes and offices.
An increased uptake of wireless LAN will benefit Intel. The chip maker will launch in the first half of next year a chip, code-named Banias, that has built-in support for both the 802.11b and 802.11a wireless LAN technologies. 802.11a is a standard for wireless LANs operating in the 5-GHz frequency range, with a maximum data rate of 54M bit/sec.
The Intel Communications Fund has already invested about $25 million in more than 10 companies in the WLAN space, Intel said.