news
pureLiFi’s new solution is poised to deliver 5G connectivity within the home without compromising signal quality.
The concept of using visible light to deliver data between devices has existed for many years, but the path to commercialization has been slow to materialize.
However, at this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC), Scottish-based LiFi specialist pureLiFi showcased a number of new solutions, demonstrating the rapid maturation of the technology. These included SkyLite, a room-wide access point capable of covering the entire 50 meters.2 A room and plug-and-play LiFi hotspot with high-speed, low-latency connectivity, LiFi Cube is ideal for dedicated use cases within the home or business.
Although these new solutions represent an increasingly versatile technology, pureLiFi CEO Alistair Banham made it clear that LiFi will not replace WiFi anytime soon.
“This is not a replacement for WiFi for us; it is important that it is additive and complementary,” Banham told Total Telecom at this year’s MWC, adding that one of the key benefits of the technology is He pointed out that this is to avoid interference with radio waves.
“We believe LiFi improves quality of service by covering high-bandwidth download areas. For example, if you install a hotspot on top of your TV or home computer, all users in the building ‘s WiFi network quality can be degraded, and data-intensive activities like streaming and gaming can be connected with light.”
But perhaps the most interesting new solution the company has offered is the LINXC Bridge™, a product being developed in partnership with wireless power company Solace Power to help address the challenges of indoor 5G connectivity.
A common problem with 5G is that the signal degrades significantly as it passes through the walls and windows of homes and offices, especially as it approaches higher-band frequencies such as millimeter waves.
LINXC Bridge, as its name suggests, overcomes this problem by utilizing LiFI, which is unaffected by signals passing through glass, and transmits 5G signals from outdoors into buildings without signal attenuation. The aims.
The solution itself consists of two boxes, one installed on the inside of the window and one on the outside. The outer box receives the 5G signal via an integrated 5G modem, converts it into light, and transmits it through the glass to the inner box. Here the signal is converted back into an electronic signal and distributed to his Wi-Fi or Li-Fi router in the home. Future iterations could also integrate the router into the internal box itself, eliminating the need for additional consumer premises equipment.
The device is powered using Solace’s integrated power solution. This solution also delivers power wirelessly through the window glass, reducing the need for an external power source.
A live demonstration of the LINXC bridge in action at the exhibition achieved speeds of 1Gbps while connected to a 5G network. This is much faster than the 5G speeds typically recorded inside buildings.
“Our research averages show that customers are lucky if they get 200-300Mbps when connected to sub-6Ghz 5G at home. Incidentally, as more people use the network, this It also gets crowded,” Banham explained. . “We’re giving carriers the opportunity to offer customers the same 5G service inside the home that they can get outside the home. That’s really exciting.”
With around 80% of mobile data traffic being generated indoors, the challenges for indoor 5G will only increase in the coming years. Although his LiFi products, such as the LINXC Bridge, are still in a relatively early stage, they have the potential to provide mobile operators with a scalable and relatively hassle-free answer to this growing pain point.
Get all the latest communications news. Total Telecom daily newsletter
Also in the news:
VMO2 records loss of £3.3bn due to worsening interest rates
Verizon pilots private 5G network at NHL stadiums
From humble beginnings: The amazing journey of Hormuud Telecom CEO Ahmed Mohamud Yusuf
