xG Technology says xMAX test a success

Sep 27, 2005 12:55 PM, By Donny Jackson

Officials for xG Technology today announced that its xMAX modulation technique delivered a broadband data rate at extremely low power in a recent battery of tests.

Using an omnidirectional antenna 850 feet off the ground operating in the 900 MHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band, xG said it achieved a data rate of 1.46 MB/s over a distance of 12.5 miles using just 50 milliwatts of power.

The tests were conducted as a precursor to xG Technology’s “Project Sunrise” trial, in which the company plans to deliver data rates of more than 10 Mb/s from a single omnidirectional antenna located on a broadcast tower. By using greater power for its information channels, the November launch of the trial is expected to achieve greater speeds and a 19-mile range that will enable a single antenna to cover the cities of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, an xG Technology spokesman said today.

“For this test, we used just a fraction of the available channel--by adjusting channel width and power, the system is capable much higher rates,” Joe Bobier, xG Technology president and CTO, said in a prepared statement. “Our Sunrise demonstration system will deliver at least 10 Mb/s, and higher rates are achievable as we begin to bring our more complex coding systems online.”

This sentiment was echoed by xG Technology CEO and Executive Chairman Rick Mooers.

“This test just scratches the surface of what xMAX can achieve as a long-range wireless solution,” Mooers said in a prepared statement. “We now know with greater accuracy the parameters for using the ISM band for our showcase network here in Ft. Lauderdale. We’re well on our way to a successful November launch.”