Silex Unwired

Rising Market Confidence in Wi-Fi HaLow Technology with Largest Outside Investment in Recent Years

Since its introduction in 2017, Wi-Fi HaLow, also known as 802.11ah, offers long-range, low-power wireless connectivity. Designed for a variety of applications across the IoT ecosystem, from consumer to commercial and industrial to agricultural use, HaLow expands connectivity by overcoming weaknesses of traditional Wi-Fi with its ultra-low power, longer range, and secure connections at much higher network capacities.

The latest US$94 million investment in Morse Micro, is a chipset company's most significant outside funding in recent years. The investment signals renewed confidence in a protocol that is reinvigorating the ecosystem. Wi-Fi HaLow technology has a clearly defined, yet narrow niche with ecosystem vendors, such as Silex Technology, who are well-positioned to support market growth.

 

Industrial IoT early market adoption

Wi-Fi HaLow shows promising use cases in residential and industrial applications. Where lagging infrastructure adoption for residential applications continues to be a challenge, the same does not hold for the industrial realm. A broader set of applications for facilities that need long-range, high-throughput technology that HaLow can offer is showing signs of acceleration. 

Newracom and Silex Technology were recently highlighted in ABI’s recent coverage of this funding as market influencers and proof of 802.11ah ecosystem growth. 

Silex Technology uses Newracom’s chipset technology, NRC7292, to power its SX-NEWAH, the industry’s first IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi module that operates in the Sub 1 GHz license-exempt band. Silex also provides AP-100 AH access point, which is capable of 675 simultaneous connections up to a 3 km range, and BR-100AH, the first commercial 802.11ah enterprise Ethernet to Wi-Fi HaLow bridge.

 

Meeting the unique needs of Industrial IoT with Wi-Fi HaLow

Silex customer, Nexcomm Systems, develops solutions for connecting Industrial IoT devices to the cloud for monitoring and control. A company with more than 20 years of experience in the industry of providing cellular gateways and sensor hubs for industrial and outdoor applications as well as heavy vehicles and work trucks, was facing challenges with Wi-Fi connectivity using traditional 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz technology in industrial settings. 

Silex’s long-standing industrial expertise allowed them to understand Nexcomm System’s unique environmental challenges, such as rugged, wet, and harsh settings that present several issues for Industrial IoT connectivity. Offering Wi-Fi HaLow into Nexcomm Systems technology with the 802.11ah SX-NEWAH module allowed them to quickly transmit secured data in industrial and outdoor environments. You can read the full case study, here.

Silex Technology has true know-how and expertise in wireless connectivity. We understand our customer’s unique needs and support them from design to deployment, helping them create a quicker route to market. For more information about the industry’s first 802.11ah Wi-Fi solution for IoT devices, SX-NEWAH, click here or contact us to start the evaluation process.