The Multiband-OFDM Alliance (MBOA), a group that has been trying to set an ultrawideband standard within IEEE, is branching out on its own: The MBOA has failed again to get the necessary 75 percent vote required to move forward with the standardization process. As a result, the group has formed a special interest group to promote its technology.
The MBOA blames Motorola for blocking its standardization push. Motorola is promoting its own version of UWB alongside XtremeSpectrum, which Motorola acquired last year, but was originally its separate ally on the matter.
Motorola and the MBOA say they'll move ahead independently. Motorola says its chips will be in production this quarter, with consumer electronics products with the chips on the shelves at the end of this year. The MBOA may be just slightly behind, with silicon available in the last quarter of this year and products on the market in the second quarter 2005.
The MBOA, however, says it will continue to try to get its technology standardized within the IEEE.