Manufacturers take note: if you want to speed up your wireless data protocol but would rather not rewrite the whole damn thing, take a leaf out of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG)’s book and simply borrow another wireless technology.  That’s what the SIG have unveiled today at the Mobile World Congress, a “method of wireless substitution” called Alternate MAC/PHY that uses Bluetooth to initiate, authenticate and manage a connection, but WiFi to actually carry the data.  That way, they get legacy compatibility with existing Bluetooth chips, faster transfer speeds and a press release in advance of ultra wideband becoming available.

“What we’re doing is taking classic Bluetooth connections – using Bluetooth protocols, profiles, security and other architectural elements – and allowing it to jump on top of the already present 802.11 radio, when necessary, to send bulky entertainment data, faster.  When the speed of 802.11 is overkill, the connection returns to normal operation on a Bluetooth radio for optimal power management and performance”Michael Foley, executive director, Bluetooth SIG

Since WiFi is finding its way into an increasingly large number of mobile devices, the potential for Alternate MAC/PHY is significant; it would also allow Bluetooth to leverage its ubiquity (nearly 2 billion Bluetooth-enabled devices are already on the market) and brand awareness, while still catering to the new demand for wireless media transfer.

The core specification for Alternate MAC/PHY is expected to be available for manufacturers by mid-2009.