Standards body ETSI has set up a new Industry Specification Group (ISG) to investigate the use of millimeter Wave Transmission (mWT), arguing the technology can deliver "fiber-like capacity" for backhaul and fronthaul connections while reducing the costs of operating radio systems.

Renato Lombardi, the vice president of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. 's European Research Center, has been voted in as chairman of the new ISG, while NEC Europe 's Nader Zei has been elected vice chairman.

ETSI says the ISG mWT will address the entire global industry, including national regulators, standards organizations, telecom operators, product vendors and key component vendors. Participation will be open to all ETSI members as well non-members prepared to sign ISG agreements.

Having held its inaugural meeting in mid-January, the mWT ISG already appears to have started work on developing five new specifications around mWT. (See ETSI Creates Millimetre Wave Transmission Group.)

Those are to cover analysis of the "field-proven" experience of mWT, potential mWT applications, regulations surrounding V-band and E-band spectrum, V-band "street-level" interference and the mWT industry's development.

For all the latest news from the wireless networking and services sector, check out our dedicated mobile content channel here on Light Reading.

mWT uses spectrum between 30GHz and 300GHz and can provide "fiber-like capacity", according to ETSI, which also reckons that low licensing fees would reduce total cost of ownership and the cost per bit of radio systems. (See ETSI Creates Millimetre Wave Transmission Group.)

"Several years after commercial equipment first became available, the mWT market remains largely untapped," says Patrick Donegan, chief analyst at Heavy Reading. "Momentum is finally building, but key players have now recognized the industry needs to collaborate more in terms of market education and regulatory lobbying to build a healthier platform upon which a strong global market can develop."

— Iain Morris, , News Editor, Light Reading