No one is surprised that when people are asked to stay indoors and keep a safe distance, we turn to technology to connect, be it through general chat, email, or even video conferencing. However, we all look forward to seeing how the technology and the networks that connect us will evolve to meet demand. In particular, more and more people are staying indoors and moving online for the foreseeable future.
About the Author Alistair Banham, CEO, pureLiFi At the start of our struggles with COVID-19 and social distancing, we saw an overwhelming explosion of creativity and bounty of content online, like free museum tours, online choirs, and online gaming groups. line. So far, despite the surge in demand, we all seem to be connecting, perhaps with the odd video conference call. It's not a coincidence. There are plenty of examples where industry and government are proactive in entertaining us and attending our daily office meetings. Netflix, Facebook, YouTube and Amazon are committed to limiting the quality of streaming video during this period of high demand. The EU has even relaxed the laws to allow for short-term data capping. Many of these measures are only short-term solutions, as we expect self-isolation and social distancing to be as well. However, many of these creative new ways of working, sharing and connecting are expected to survive in this difficult environment today. Looking ahead, what are some of the ways light can help us grow the data pipeline and expand our wireless capabilities? In reality, the ways in which light can enhance wireless communications are only limited by our imaginations, as light can provide faster, more reliable communication wherever there is light. However, there are some specific ways that light communications can help bring more data to your home and device.
Light can widen the pipeline to the "last mile"
The "last mile" connection is the most difficult for broadband providers and is often considered the bottleneck in delivering faster Internet speeds for the home and office. Leveraging other technologies such as 5G is seen as the next solution to improve reliable "last mile" communications. Ovum released a report in 2018 stating that large-scale 5G deployments would support reliable average speeds of 80 to 100 Mbps in the home. It's a good start; however, the light can provide ultra-high-speed dedicated links with 1000 times the bandwidth of traditional RF like 4G and 5G. Light can also do this without interfering with other RF networks and without using up precious spectral resources. All this makes light an ideal technology to complement existing technologies and expand the data channel. A first example of this type of deployment can be seen in a recent 5G Rural First project with the LiFi Research and Development Center in collaboration with pureLiFi. The project saw the deployment of a lighthouse-mounted Light Communications backhaul providing broadband to homes on Grimsay Island, which was then connected to a LiFi network in the home. The installation not only improved the broadband experience for these users, but also provided broadband internet access in a particularly hard-to-reach region of Scotland.
LiFi will improve Wi-Fi
If you haven't seen overloaded home Wi-Fi yet, talk to one of the millions of families experiencing it now. Streaming home entertainment in the living room and online gaming in the bedroom while someone is hosting a video conference in their home office is likely to cause problems for many Wi-Fi networks. People are quickly looking for ways to improve their Wi-Fi, this is one area where LiFi can help you in the future. In 2018, pureLiFi demonstrated at a Scottish school how LiFi can make Wi-Fi networks more reliable, not only in schools but also in homes and offices. pureLiFi implemented a LiFi network in a classroom that regularly streamed high-bandwidth educational videos. By downloading bandwidth-intensive content onto the LiFi network, neighboring classrooms have benefited from more reliable WiFi connections and therefore better user experiences. LiFi in our homes will have the same benefits. By using Gigabit LiFi-enabled devices and lights in high-bandwidth areas of our homes, we'll stream higher-resolution video and games while enabling a more reliable Wi-Fi network for everything we need to do. line.
Are you LiFi ready?
Lightweight communications technologies like LiFi will enhance and augment, not replace, traditional RF technologies like cellular and Wi-Fi technologies to power the next generation of wireless connectivity. Although LiFi is not present in all devices and lights today, pureLiFi now has light antenna components ready to be integrated into your next mobile device. pureLiFi is currently working with some of the largest appliance manufacturers and lighting providers to put this technology in the hands of the consumer. With LiFi, we will all be ready for the rapidly changing connectivity landscape.