MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/. The State Commission for Radio Frequencies authorized US-based Apple to test in Russia the corporate wireless technology Ultra-Wide Band (UWB), an improved counterpart of the Bluetooth system, Deputy Minister for Digital Development Oleg Ivanov told reporters on Monday after the Commission’s meeting.

"We always endorse tests," the official said. "Then, assume tests are positive, an application will be submitted and the consideration on the merits will follow," Ivanov noted.

According to documents prepared for the Commission’s meeting, it was planned that Apple Rus would receive the 6,240-8,236.8 MHz frequency band "to perform scientific, research, pilot, experimental and design work on clarification of conditions of EMC for ultra-broadband small range wireless devices with radio electronic systems of various purposes."

UWB is a wireless data transmission technology enabling transmission of huge data quantities to a small range. Compared to Bluetooth, UWB has greater throughput capacity against a small coverage area radius and is suitable for wireless transmission of high quality multimedia content, for example, HD format digital video streams or a wireless connection of a smartphone with a projector during presentations.

The UWB technology is available in iPhone 11 model smartphones and has already been used as a replacement for Bluetooth, although Apple does not have a relevant authorization in Russia so far. Tests on allocated frequencies are needed to find out whether UWB generates noise for communication aids operating in cross-bands.