Firefly LiFi, a manufacturer of Visible Light Communications (VLC) and Infrared Light Communications (ILC) LiFi products, announced that it is bringing affordable backhaul connectivity to 5G Smart City networks and the security camera market, using LED technology.

Representative image of outdoor LiFi technology (Image: Firefly LiFi)

Firefly LiFi has been shipping indoor LiFi products; however, this new product addition is the company’s first solution designed for longer range indoor and outdoor point-to-point applications using advanced LED technology. The solution is designed for building-to-building or lightpole-to-lightpole backhaul of WiFi, LiFi, 5G LTE, and IP security camera backhaul—using light spectrum to carry the data, rather than radio frequency (RF) technology.

The company’s units are designed for ‘Wireless To The Home’ and Small Cells. Small Cells, which complement macro networks, are forecast to grow to US$2.2 billion in 2021 according to recent survey findings.

“LiFi is the hottest technology emerging in the electronics industry, since it utilizes light to transmit data instead of RF methods, such as WiFi,” said Dr. Heinz Willebrand, CEO of Firefly LiFi. “Our wireless bridge is ideal for both indoor communications and for license-free outdoor 5G backhaul and Small Cell applications—supporting ubiquitous coverage in carrier environments without the need for RF spectrum licensing, or complicated millimeter wave planning. This makes for robust load-bearing capacity, fast rollouts, and unsurpassed scalability. And it provides telecoms, businesses, schools, entertainment venues, and security integrators the ability to deploy wireless backhaul affordably, and without the congestion, capacity, and cyber security issues associated with RF solutions. And the system can be integrated with light fixtures—both conventional lighting and LiFi-enabled—and security camera systems.”

The LiFi’s wireless bridge is license free, immune to RF interference, avoids RF congestion in Metropolitan Area Networks, and is more secure than RF/WiFi backhaul solutions. It can be deployed on campuses—connecting school buildings—and be used in large facilities such as stadiums, warehouses, factories, airport terminals, and other venues.