The Freescale Semiconductor division of Motorola has developed ultrawideband (UWB) technology for sending data wirelessly at 110Mbps and plans for 1Gbps transmission in 2005.

UWB technology is currently hobbled by regulatory challenges and a long-running clash between two incompatible systems.

Ultrawideband works by broadcasting over a much larger chunk of the radio spectrum, so even a low-powered ultrawideband radio signal can carry huge amounts of data.

The signal can penetrate solid objects, so police forces and armies use the technology in radar systems that can see through walls.

For consumers, Pulse-Link is developing UWB technology that adds 1Gbps of new downstream data capacity to a cable TV connection, and 480Mpbs of new upstream capacity on existing cables at the fraction of the price of fiber to the home: $100 per customer vs. $3,700.