The delivery of visible light data is a demonstration of scientific ingenuity that has been envisioned for many years and is finally gaining momentum in the commercial arena. Scottish-based LiFi pioneer pureLiFi unveiled some exciting new developments at his Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year. Among these innovations was SkyLite, an in-room access point that delivers high-speed, low-latency connectivity over an incredible distance of 50 meters.2 Area; LiFi Cube is a plug-and-play LiFi hotspot suitable for specific home and business use cases.
However, pureLiFi CEO Alistair Banham clarified that this new technology is not intended to replace WiFi, but to complement it. “It’s important for us that this is not a replacement for WiFi, but an addition and complement,” he said. He emphasized LiFi’s big advantage of avoiding interference with radio waves, saying, “We think the way LiFi improves the quality of service is by covering high-bandwidth download areas. For example, installing a hotspot on top of your TV or home computer can light up data-intensive activities like streaming and gaming without potentially reducing the quality of the WiFi network for everyone in your building. You will now be able to connect.”
One of pureLiFi’s most innovative solutions was the LINXC Bridge™. This product has been developed in collaboration with Solace Power, a wireless power company, to address indoor 5G connectivity issues. Unlike 5G, LiFi is not affected by signal degradation when passing through walls or glass, making it suitable for indoor applications.
LINXC Bridge™ provides a signal path between external 5G connectivity and internal WiFi or LiFi routers, ensuring a robust and stable signal within the building. Powering the device is Solace’s integrated power system, which is designed to reliably deliver power wirelessly through the window glass, eliminating the need for an external power source.
Trials at MWC revealed that LINXC Bridge™ can reach speeds of 1 Gbps when connected to 5G networks. “Our research averages show that customers are lucky if they can get 200-300Mbps at home when connected to sub-6Ghz 5G. provides the opportunity to provide the same 5G services inside the home that are available outside the home. That’s really exciting,” Banham elaborated.
The majority of mobile data traffic occurs indoors, increasing pressure to improve indoor 5G performance. His LiFi products, such as the LINXC Bridge™, may provide a solution to this growing problem and provide mobile operators with a scalable and efficient solution.
