N + I: Network + Interference?
At the N+I show in Vegas, there were, of course, a plethora of radios congesting the 2.4GHz frequencies. This is why many people tout the 5GHz band, and associated 802.11a technology as superior. This is very shortsighted – like going to Times Square at noon on Dec. 31, and saying “Hey, it’s not crowded here!”. The 5GHz band is less congested only because it has been unlicensed for a shorter amount of time. In due course, there will be as much interference run here as at an NBA playoff game. Anyone who touts a frequency choice based on uncrowded spectrum had better back it up with what makes that sustainable, otherwise it ain’t worth much. Unlicensed band RF solutions need to use methods waltz through crowded airwaves, like frequency hopping, spread spectrum, UWB, or new ideas. In the linked article the most significant foreshadowing was that at the N+I show, even the 5GHz band was getting crowded.
