Steve Perlman revealed pCell, the wireless technology he has been busy developing for the past decade, to an audience of students, reporters and business leaders at Columbia University, VentureBeat reported.
In his demonstration, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur who came up with WebTV and OnLive, used eight iPhones which used 5 MHz of spectrum for streaming HD video sharing. He also showcased another application of pCell where 10 MHz of spectrum was used in multiple 4K streams, the report said.
Perlman said his technology will pave the way for highly speedy mobile connections. Compared to traditional cellular systems, pCell allows multiple devices-an unlimited number, actually- to use the same spectrum at the same time, the report said.
The confidence Perlman has in his technology is evident in the fact that he is financing his startup called Artemis Networks, with a workforce of 12 employees, from his own pocket. Of course, he probably didn't need early stage venture capital funding, He made $500 million when he sold WebTV to Microsoft sometime in the late 1990s, the report said.
Perlman's pCell, if it works as it should, comes at just the opportune moment since wireless spectrum is almost ready to run out. Since it's a limited resource, the spectrum shortage, which is already a problem in major cities in the US, can lead to dropped calls and a decline in data services, the report said.
Later in 2014, Artemis intends to install pCell base stations called pWaves together with its partners in San Francisco and New York. Since his technology works with standard LTE devices like iPhones and Android smartphones, the deployment risk is reduced. If pCell is available, these devices can utilize it. Otherwise, they can always go back to using LTE or 3G. Because it is more efficient compared to the wireless systems in place today, Perlman said pCell does not also need a lot of battery power, VentureBeat reported.
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