In the contemporary technological landscape, innovation and progress are key elements leading to remarkable developments. A shining example of this dynamic is the recent demonstration by Morse Micro, which marked a historic moment in the world of wireless connectivity by showing the first live application of Wi-Fi HaLow (802.11ah) with an impressive 3 kilometer range. This achievement set a record for long-range video calling, extending nearly two miles and demonstrating the enormous potential of this technology.
Wi-Fi HaLow is distinguished by its unique features, being a low-power, long-range version of Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11ah standard. Operating in the sub-GHz frequency band (850-950 MHz), it offers the advantage of effectively penetrating obstacles such as walls and buildings, facilitating the connectivity of a large number of IoT devices over significantly greater distances and using much less power. These features translate HaLow into a technology with 10 times the range, 100 times the coverage area and 1000 times the volume compared to traditional Wi-Fi technologies.
Morse Micro's demonstration, supported by their advanced system-on-chip (SoC) technology, took place in San Francisco's Ocean Beach neighborhood. This highlighted HaLow's remarkable ability to reach long distances in challenging real-world conditions. Even though the transmission speed dropped from 17 Mbps at 250 meters to 1 Mbps as the test reached the distance of three kilometers, the connection remained stable enough to maintain a video call, thus demonstrating the viability and robustness of HaLow in scenarios of practical use.
More than its ability to cover long distances, HaLow impresses with its energy efficiency, having the potential to significantly extend battery life. This is a major advantage, especially for small battery-powered devices, allowing them to run for months without needing to replace the battery.
Michael De Nil, co-founder and CEO of Morse Micro, emphasizes the importance of this progress: "Our successful demonstration of Wi-Fi HaLow video calls over a distance of three kilometers in a challenging urban environment represents a milestone for Wi-Fi connectivity Be, highlighting the extraordinary coverage of this wireless protocol. With its outstanding performance in terms of range, low power consumption and superior throughput, Wi-Fi HaLow positions itself as a leader in the IoT field.”
Although HaLow is distinguished by its exceptional features, the competition in IoT connectivity is fierce, with technologies such as LoRa/LoraWAN and NB-IoT also providing efficient solutions for long-distance and low-power connectivity. However, Morse Micro's demonstration highlights HaLow Wi-Fi's potential to change the paradigm in wireless connectivity, paving the way for new possibilities in the IoT world and beyond.
