Microsoft is now part of WiMedia Alliance

Last week, ultrawideband-backer the WiMedia Alliance announced that no less than Microsoft had joined the group as a top-level "promoter member."

The Alliance now has 14 members at that level: Alereon, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Kodak, Microsoft, Nokia, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Staccato Communications, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, and Wisair.

"With WiMedia Alliance, we are demonstrating our commitment to help the industry develop specification and interoperability programs that ensure best-of-breed wireless experiences with Windows-based PCs," explained Kosar Jaff, a product unit manager in the Windows Division at Microsoft.

Microsoft wants to be sure that whatever standard will be approved by the Alliance, it will be compatibile with Windows and Microsoft software

The fact that Microsoft is a very important player in standardization was a key point in tha Dr. Roberto Aiello statement.

"Microsoft plays a leading role in standardization for many market segments, and the fact that Microsoft is committed to develop software and support the WiMedia radio platform on their software platforms makes it very relevant for us," he says. "We think that it will certainly facilitate adoption and reduce confusion for the market."

The WiMedia Alliance implemented a certification and interoperability program for use by all upper layer protocols, which combine the MBOA's UWB radio specification along with its convergence layer. The group plans to release the first version of the MBOA physical (PHY) layer specification in the second quarter of 2005.