About Wireless Technology
As the name suggests, wireless networks offer connectivity without using wires, the most common being Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G networks.
- Wi-Fi or IEEE 802.11
Wi-Fi networks are now even more prevalent in mobile computing devices, with notebooks equipped with Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) wireless network adapters. Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac) makes use of Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology to boost data throughput up to 1.3Gbit/s, while Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax) further extends the technology to achieve over 10Gbit/s throughput. Commercial Wi-Fi services are available in various public places, including coffee shops, shopping malls, and airports. These are known as Wi-Fi hotspots. The Hong Kong government’s GovWiFi scheme provides free wireless internet access through more than 82,000 hotspots in 13,000 locations covering public spaces in the city, including government venues, telephone booths, cafes, restaurants, shops, shopping centres, tourist attractions, banks, hotels and themed buses.
- 5G Networks
5G networks are the latest generation of cellular networks that provide faster internet speeds, lower latency, and higher network capacity. It is designed to provide a more seamless and reliable connection for users, especially for applications that require high-speed data transfer, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles.