Today, Wi-Fi is an integral part of our lives, from the work we do on our computers to the music we stream on our mobile devices. Millions of systems and devices, from laptops to light fixtures, use wireless connectivity. But did you know that Wi-Fi technology had its beginnings in cash registers? 

 

Photo by David Carboni on Unsplash

 

The story begins in Washington, DC in 1985, when the Federal Communications Commission moved to open up the “junk band” portion of the spectrum for public use. This chunk of the spectrum, around 2.4 GHz, was previously reserved for government radar. 

 

The FCC’s move was a big win-win for private companies and innovators alike. Don Johnson, a  research and development executive at the National Cash Register Company (NCR), saw an opportunity to change how the retail industry sold its goods. Up to that point, cash registers were connected to a central computer via cord. Large supermarkets and department stores frequently changed their internal layouts and managers found it troublesome to drill holes to install miles of cable throughout the interior of stores. 

 

Seeking an innovative solution, Johnson assembled a team of 15 engineers who built a prototype for a wireless cash register. Within a few years, NCR was selling wireless cash registers to some of the largest department stores in the United States, including JCPenney. 

 

It wasn’t long until other innovators followed NCR’s lead and used this same technology in household devices. Tech developers soon found ways to use these same “junk bands” of the spectrum to wirelessly power remote controls, garage door openers, and even baby monitors. 

 

Today, the “Internet of Things” connects millions of devices we use every day, both inside and outside the home. With its beginnings in the retail industry, Wi-Fi has become central to all forms of modern technology and is the workhorse of today’s economy. 

 

We often take Wi-Fi connectivity for granted, but today we are actually running out of airwaves for our Wi-Fi to use. In order to ensure continued access to this crucial technology, we need to free up additional spectrum for Wi-Fi.

 

Learn more about the fascinating history and future of Wi-Fi from our Wi-Fi Timeline: The Wi-Fi Success Story.