A breakthrough in the world of Wi-Fi: HaLow sets a new record for data transmission range – almost 3 km
Morse Micro, a wireless technology company, has set a new record for Wi-Fi data transmission – 3 km using the HaLow (802.11ah) standard. The connection speed at this distance was only 1 Mbps, but it was enough to make a video call. This technology operates in the sub-gigahertz range, is immune to interference, and overcomes the limitations of conventional Wi-Fi, allowing signals to be transmitted over long distances with excellent performance. HaLow was initially announced in 2016, but its implementation is just beginning to gain momentum, and now tests have confirmed the prospects of the new solution.
Wi-Fi HaLow technology overcomes the limitations of conventional Wi-Fi by operating in the sub-gigahertz range (850-950 MHz) and using narrow frequency bands (1, 2, 4, or 8 MHz). This standard enables signals to be transmitted through obstacles, ensuring performance even in conditions of strong interference and high network load with many connected devices and cameras. However, HaLow Wi-Fi is not compatible with regular Wi-Fi.
During the test, the connection speed dropped from 11 Mbps at a distance of 500 meters to just 1 Mbps at a maximum range of 3 km. However, this was enough to keep the video call working. Morse Micro conducted the test on its production MM6108 Wi-Fi HaLow chip, which is certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance and the FCC.
The Wi-Fi HaLow standard has proven to be highly resistant to interference. However, the communication range testing was conducted on an open beach, close to the water, which probably contributed to the increase in the maximum signal range. In the realities of a densely populated urban area, such results would likely be unattainable.
Such ultra-long-range Wi-Fi devices are primarily designed for Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, not for multimedia due to lower speeds. In addition to its long range and high immunity to interference, Wi-Fi HaLow also offers lower power consumption than high-speed mass Wi-Fi solutions such as Wi-Fi 7.
The development of this technology can speed up data transfer, expand the capabilities of corporate networks and increase the coverage of public Wi-Fi.
