FCC certifies Freescale ultrawideband technology

The Federal Communications Commission has certified Freescale Semiconductor's ultrawideband technology, the chip company announced earlier this week. Freescale has begun begin shipping its XS110 chip. The company expects the chip will be integrated into consumer electronics products, such as large-screen displays, digital video recorders and set-top boxes, in late 2005. The chip and technology will allow consumers to connect devices wirelessly so they can transmit music from a stereo to speakers or transfer images from a digital camera to a PC without wires.

Freescale, a recent spinoff of Motorola, has been promoting one of two specifications in the market for ultrawideband technology. Chipmaking giant Intel is leading the other group helping to develop a competing specification. Ultrawideband has been viewed as a replacement for Bluetooth technology, because it performs similar functions but at faster rates.