Facebook Demonstrates 20 Gbps Millimeter Wireless Broadband

Facebook this week announced that it has achieved speeds up to 20 Gbps while testing millimeter wireless broadband technology. Facebook is eyeing millimeter wireless (see our recent primer on the subject) as part of an effort to expand broadband's reach (and by proxy, ads) to less connected portions of the globe. According to a Facebook blog post, the tests have been taking place in Southern California using the E-band, a group of millimeter wave frequencies between 60 and 90GHz.

Facebook says it achieved speeds of 20 Gbps over a distance of 13 kilometers using custom-built components that consumed 105 watts of total direct current (DC) power at the transmitter and receiver.

Facebook says its ultimate goal is for these Aquila (Facebook's aerial vehicles) to ground links to support capacities in excess of 30 Gbps over 30-50 kilometers.

"The next generation air-to-ground communication system capable of supporting 40 Gbps each on uplink and downlink between an aircraft and a ground station will be flight-tested in early 2017," the company says of the advancements. "We will continue to push the limits of wireless capacity over long ranges while staying within the tough size, weight and power constraints of Aquila communication payloads."

Ultimately, Facebook envisions these Aquila drones operating at between 60,000 and 90,000 feet, delivering connectivity and advertisements to the developing nations below.