HaLow is a technology we’ve covered a few times over the years, starting in 2016 when we reported on a new expansion of Wi-Fi specifically aimed at the Internet of Things.
Eight years later, it seems the technology is finally coming to fruition Morse microphonerecently demonstrated the world’s first live application of Wi-Fi HaLow, 802.11ah with a range of 3 kilometers, setting a record for a long-distance video call of almost three kilometers.
HaLow is a low-power, long-range Wi-Fi version based on the IEEE 802.11ah standard. It operates in the subGHz range (850-950 MHz), allowing it to penetrate obstacles, walls and buildings and connect larger numbers of IoT devices at much longer distances and with much lower power consumption. This amounts to an impressive 10x the range, 100x the coverage area and 1000x the volume of traditional Wi-Fi technologies.
Three kilometer range
Morse Micro’s demonstration, facilitated by its proprietary system-on-chip (SoC), took place in San Francisco’s Ocean Beach neighborhood and demonstrated HaLow’s ability to cover long distances under challenging real-world conditions. By the time the test went two miles, the speed had dropped from 17 Mbps at 250 meters to 1 Mbps, but it was still good enough to continue the conversation.
HaLow is not just about distance. The technology’s energy-saving capabilities can significantly extend battery life. This could be a game changer, especially for devices that run on coin cell batteries, allowing them to run for months without needing to replace the battery.
“Our successful demo of Wi-Fi HaLow video calling over three kilometers in a difficult, realistic urban environment is a major milestone for Wi-Fi connectivity and demonstrates the incredible reach of the wireless protocol,” said Michael De Nil, co-founder and CEO from Morse Micro. “With its unparalleled range, exceptionally low power consumption and superior throughput, Wi-Fi HaLow is leading the IoT landscape.”
As undeniably impressive as this is, HaLow has some rivals, most notably LoRa/LoraWAN (Long Range), which also delivers low power, long range, cost-effective connectivity and performs well on long, difficult terrains. There’s also NB-IoT (NarrowBand-Internet of Things), an extension of LTE that can deliver low-bandwidth communications on licensed mobile networks.