Now You Can Stream High-Speed Internet on Mobile Through Light

Using Wi-Fi routers to stream internet might become passe now that light-based internet is available via bulbs.

Soon, you won’t need boxy routers to stream high-speed internet.

(Photo Courtesy: Signify)

If you’re worried about network constraints limiting the internet speed in your office or school, then you’ve got a new way to work around those issues.

Signify, which was previously known as Philips Lighting, has come out with unique lighting solution called Trulifi which will not only illuminate the room, but also let you surf the web by offering data speeds up to 150Mbps.

You must be wondering how can luminaires (a complete electric light unit) offer internet, that too at high-speeds?

Well, the device relies on a technology called Li-Fi, which has been in the works for the past few years now, and this is the first time we’re seeing a product that’s ready to be used by the end consumer.

The technology has been in the works for ages (almost a decade), and it has been demonstrated at a few Consumer Electronics Shows (CES) in that time.

Li-Fi refers to visible light communications (VLC) technology that delivers high-speed, bi-directional networked, mobile communications in a similar manner as Wi-Fi.

Instead of using radio signals (such as WiFi, 4G/5G, Bluetooth, etc.), Trulifi uses light waves to enable highly reliable, secure two-way wireless communications at speeds far above most conventional workplace wireless technologies.

<a href="https://www.signify.com/global/our-company/news/press-releases/2019/20190619-signify-launches-trulifi">Signify on Trulifi</a>

In simple words, the technology uses optical transmitters to capture light, which in return offers high-speed wireless internet that can be picked up by devices like mobiles and laptop among others.

You don’t need routers to browse the internet with Li-Fi

For Trulifi, the company has designed luminaires providing wireless connectivity. This means buyers won’t have to break down their existing lighting setup to fit these into them.

Wireless transmitter is fitted into the luminaire.

Signify claims the speed is fast enough to stream simultaneously 30 full-HD (1080 pixel resolution) movies.

As far as getting the internet to work on the laptop goes, you’ll have to plug in this receiver, which will make sure the Li-Fi signal from Trulifi offers you high-speed internet from the luminaire.

Li-Fi on laptop will work with this receiver plugged in.

But Signify wants to take things slowly, one step at a time with this technology. Which is why, it is targeting office space and schools to gauge better results in a place with more people than what you’d find in a home.

Now to the most important question that people might have.

Li-Fi vs Wi-Fi

The internet speed you’re getting now is not bad when you compare it with the situation a couple of decades back. With Li-Fi, however, the equation is set to speed up at a pace that no one could have foreseen.

We have always known about the power of light, but to see the energy being used for super-fast data transfer/sharing is exciting.

Benefits of Li-Fi

• Li-Fi is more efficient than Wi-Fi.
  
• The energy to access Li-Fi is easily available in the form of luminaire. 
• It offers a secure channel of speed transmission