Agere kicks 11a/b/g chipset up to 150Mbps

Agere Systems today announced new software for its WaveLAN(tm) 802.11a/b/g multimode chip set that is says delivers throughput up to 150 Mbit/s.

Agere’s software acceleration techniques include client-to-client (AP bypass) transfer, data compression, frame bursting and overhead management. The company says the new software enables the chipset to provide "up to twice the range of competing solutions at peak data rates" and that part of their solution is "employing mechanisms anticipated in the IEEE 802.11e QoS standard".

The chipset - which was introduced last fall [related story] - is ramping to production this month. But Agere’s acceleration software won’t be released until "third calendar quarter

2004", to line up with "the expected ratification of the 802.11e standard".

Agere’s 150Mbps maximum throughput number tops Atheros’ Super G, Broadcom’s Afterburner and GlobespanVirata’s Nitro XM which have maximum data rates of 108, 125 and 140Mbps respectively. But it’s important to note that all these numbers represent maximum raw data rate performance, with actual useable throughput typical coming in at best half those numbers.