The Bluetooth SIG today announced the selection of the WiMedia Alliance multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MB-OFDM) version of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to be incorporated into it’s standard in order to increase throughput rates for high speed data transfers.

Integration of UWB will allow to combine high transfer rates (480 Mbps and above) necessary for the exchange and synchronization of large of large media and data files in portable devices, multi-media projectors and television sets with the needs of very low power applications such as mice, keyboards and mono headsets.

Devices using newly incorporated UWB technology will be backward compatible with current Bluetooth equipment. WiMedia Alliance and Bluetooth SIG will develop this high speed/high data rate solution using unlicensed radio spectrum above 6GHz, so the new devices won’t need any regulatory approval.

Preparatory works for the next generation Bluetooth standard will take about a year and first prototype chips will show up in Q2 2007, with first Bluetooth/UWB capable devices appearing for Christmas or early 2008.