O2 UK announced a trial of the new technology known as LiFi, which allows large volumes of data to be transmitted using LED lights instead of radio waves. The trial, conducted with the company PureLiFi, is part of a series of network tests the operator is conducting ahead of the launch of its 5G network.
The trial used PureLiFi’s LiFi-XC system comprising nine LED bulbs emitting light which appears white to the human eye and which allow high-speed, bi-directional and fully networked wireless communication of data.
O2 said LiFi has the potential to provide a safer, more reliable and more secure wireless data communication than Wi-Fi, as well as reducing infrastructure complexity and energy consumption.
PureLiFi said its technology is capable of providing an alternative source of bandwidth amid growing demand for radio spectrum.
