Microsoft’s Super Wi-Fi could change game

A technology called “Super Wi-Fi” that uses the frequency spectrum between television channels called “white spaces” could be a game-changing force in how people connect to the internet, especially in places like Cambodia. The technology, which requires specialised equipment costing about US$2,000 for a base station would enable a fibre-optic line to connect with an antenna and create internet connectivity for users to connect wirelessly up to 20 kilometres away. The Super Wi-Fi technology was one of the many topics discussed at Microsoft Technology Day at Hotel Cambodiana yesterday by Microsoft Senior Regional Business Development Manager John Cann, who is responsible for Microsoft’s relationships with donor agencies. “The base station ends up like a router,” he said. “Instead of traditional Wi-Fi, you can send it 20 kilometres. This is a significant breakthrough for countries like Cambodia. This is the holy grail of rural connectivity and this is about one-10th the costs of 3G and 4G.” … He said Cambodia had a good chance of doing the same as Singapore because the young population here, with an average age of 22.5, was keen to adopt new technology. “The core to driving any country forward is to make access to the internet a utility. The net benefit of having a free access utility rather than a pay per use is that it is a competitive advantage.”