Li-Fi, a revolutionary technology that employs invisible infrared light for wireless optical connectivity, boasts transfer speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, making it up to 100 times faster than conventional Wi-Fi. The recent approval of the light communications standard, 802.11bb, by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), anticipates the upcoming adoption of Li-Fi.
Despite the expectation that Li-Fi might replace Wi-Fi in the future, IEEE 802.11bb distinguishes the two technologies as belonging to different categories, challenging the notion of direct substitution. Li-Fi itself is not entirely new, as companies have been attempting to bring it to the market for years, with competing standards like the International Telecommunication Union’s G.9991, exemplified by Signify’s Philip Hue data-beaming bulbs.
However promising Li-Fi’s capabilities may be, it comes with certain drawbacks. Its reliance on light as the access point and interface makes network quality and reliability sensitive to lighting conditions, introducing volatility.
The current focus on Li-Fi can be attributed to a marketing decision by Dr. Harald Haas, who coined the term “Li-Fi” and aims to promote PureLiFi’s latest product—the Light Antenna One. This tiny module, released in February 2023, is designed to fit into smartphones and deliver connectivity speeds of around 1 Gbps, depending on the use-case. It comes with the caveat that it has a limited range, interacting with devices within 10 feet and a 24-degree field of view angle for return transmission.
