Source: “How does 802.11ah compare with other LPWAN technologies” by Silex Technology
Recently, the Wi-Fi Alliance introduced a new Wi-Fi HaLow (IEEE 802.11 ah) standard to meet the growing IoT market’s unique requirements and to help accelerate the growth of IoT applications. Early this year (May 2020), the Alliance released two White Papers to present and explain in detail the features and benefits of the Wi-Fi HaLow technology.
Wi-Fi HaLow builds upon the successful Wi-Fi standard. However, HaLow provides additional capabilities and has evolved Wi-Fi technology to meet a wide range of IoT use cases. The new technology strength comes from the operation in the sub-1 gigahertz (GHz) frequency band, which provides long range connectivity to handle a variety of challenging environments, including the ability to penetrate multiple walls and other obstructions. Our technology partner, Silex technology, states that HaLow “will enable a variety of new power-efficient use cases in Smart Home, connected car, and digital healthcare, as well as industrial, retail, agriculture, and Smart City environments.”
The new standard increased the number of supported client devices per access point (AP) and added the latest security mechanisms available (Wi-Fi Certified WPA3 and Wi-Fi Certified Enhanced Open security features). Furthermore, the new modulation techniques used by the HaLow standard provide a significantly increased connectivity range and at the same time use a more efficient spectrum than the competing IoT technologies (see Wi-Fi HaLow advantages chart over other competing IoT technologies).
Source: “Wi-Fi HaLow: Wi-Fi for IoT Applications” by Wi-Fi Alliance, May 2020.
As seen in the above graphic, the Wi-Fi HaLow signal can reach farther and offer higher throughput data rate connectivity while offering a wide margin up to 1 kilometer of distance, compared to many other competing IoT technologies like Sigfox, LoRaWAN, Zigbee, Bluetooth LE, Wi-SUN, and NB-IoT. Furthermore, for shorter range use cases, up to 80 Mbps of connectivity can be achieved. Another big advantage over other IoT technologies is that HaLow provides native IP support and there is no need for propriety hubs or gateways making HaLow the best connectivity choice for access to the Internet or cloud-based applications. According to Wi-Fi Alliance, “Wi-Fi networks can be designed to leverage Wi-Fi in multiple frequency bands without the need for alternate radio technologies, which require special equipment or subscription-based solutions in licensed cellular bands. This flexibility makes Wi-Fi a prime solution for more coverage needs.”
Summary:
No single technology can solve all IoT needs, but HaLow could become the frontrunner in wireless technology, providing for the most IoT connectivity solutions. The two White Papers released by Wi-Fi Alliance explain in detail the features and benefits of Wi-Fi HaLow technology, discussing how Wi-Fi HaLow fits into the overall Wi-Fi portfolio and its ability to meet the IoT market’s challenging connectivity requirements. Both papers offer a wealth of information and highlight how the new Wi-Fi HaLow standard provides a leading solution for a wide range of IoT applications. Wi-Fi Alliance states that the increased range and increased spectral efficiency makes HaLow technology the right choice for a wide range of new IoT applications.