Wigig

WiGig refers to wireless technology that operates in the 60 GHz millimeter-wave band and is used to achieve very high data rates over short distances. The term originated with the Wireless Gigabit Alliance, an industry group formed to promote interoperability of 60 GHz devices, and it is commonly associated with the IEEE 802.11ad standard and its successor 802.11ay. The goal of WiGig is to enable multi-gigabit wireless communication for applications such as wireless docking, display, and high-speed data transfer, often integrated within the broader Wi‑Fi ecosystem.

Technically, 60 GHz offers abundant spectrum but presents challenges such as high free-space path loss and strong oxygen absorption, which limit practical range to roughly a few tens of meters. To counteract this, WiGig employs directional antennas and beamforming to concentrate energy and improve links. The 802.11ad standard supports peak PHY data rates around 6–7 Gbps. The later 802.11ay amendment expands capabilities with enhanced MIMO, channel bonding, and efficiency improvements, raising potential aggregate speeds and reliability.

History and development show the WiGig Alliance formed in the late 2000s to promote 60 GHz technology, with IEEE 802.11ad published in the early 2010s. The alliance later integrated into the Wi‑Fi Alliance, aligning WiGig with broader Wi‑Fi certification programs. 802.11ay, ratified in the early 2020s, further advances the standard for higher throughput and better performance in real-world conditions.

Applications of WiGig include wireless docking stations, wireless display or multimedia streaming, fast file transfers between devices, and short-range backhaul links. The technology remains niche in consumer devices but is deployed in enterprise and specialty contexts where high-speed short-range wireless links are advantageous.