Atheros Prepares a Wi-Fi Access Point Mobile Phone

Chip maker Atheros is reported to be working on the development of a new technology that is meant to transform mobile phones into access points. This could suggest the fact that the use of WLAN support in people's homes might change starting this year.

From what we've learned from the news, the phone is expected to work just as any Wi-Fi access point or hot spot would do when connected. The Wi-Fi capabilities of the phone will be used to make the connection between the handset and the computer, while the connection to the Internet will be made via the phone's broadband connection, like the HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access).

According to Atheros, up to four users would be able to simultaneously use the connection provided by a single phone. At the same time, the company stated that different features, like security using WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access), would also be available. The chip maker announced that the phone to sport such Wi-Fi capabilities was slated for release later this year, though Atheros' spokesman Greg Wood says that no names can be unveiled at this point in time.

The new small form factor mobile router technology was showcased by the company and the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, but this is not the only technology of this sort presented at the event. Novatel Wireless is another company that came at CES with its MiFi product, a device that features a credit-card size and is able to offer connection to a mobile broadband link to up to five users at a time.

The company stated that the MiFi was powered by a battery, which was able to offer up to four hours of active use. At the same time, the battery could cope a standby time of around 40 hours, stated a Novatel spokesperson. The device featured an onboard Linux based operating system, which was designed so as to be compatible with applications developed by third parties.

Novatel announced that the MiFi part would also see versions supporting EV-DO Rev A or HSPA. The device is expected to start shipping during the first half of the year. The price of MiFi is set at $200, before carrier subsidies.