Multi-gigabit Wi-Fi is here and 5 reasons it matters

Broadcom is expected to show off silicon that offers 1.3 gigabit per second Wi-Fi at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. The technology will help prepare home networks for the era of whole-home video streaming. To promote the chips, which will use the 802.11ac standard, Broadcom has hijacked the G used by cellular networks, calling the new standard 5G Wi-Fi.

Terminology aside, here’s why this latest iteration of Wi-Fi is so cool:

1. It’s fast
2. It’s designed for video
3. It’s designed for multiple devices and concurrent streams
4. It’s more power-efficient
5. It goes the distance