Wi-Fi that reaches over 10 miles with less interference than the 2.4 GHz band is achievable with 802.11ah, also known as Wi-Fi HaLow, which utilizes the 900 MHz frequency band.
Morse Micro’s Ambitions
Morse Micro, a leading name in certified devices, is getting ready to unveil products based on this fresh Wi-Fi standard. They’re working on a new 8108 chip along with reference designs for both access points and client devices, aiming to provide routers that can cover not just homes but gardens and beyond. That’s what they’re aiming for, at least.
Targeting the US Market
In the United States, Morse Micro plans to link surveillance cameras to access points. Since it runs over Wi-Fi, the company states that no extra frequency adjustments are necessary. During CES 2025 in Las Vegas, they stated that the antenna design would be quite straightforward.
In 2025, this Australian firm will mainly target the American market where the frequency band is less crowded, leading to minimal interference. Technologies like frequency hopping, which Bluetooth devices already use, aren’t needed here. Even though there are relatively larger obstacles, Morse Micro is also eyeing the European market.
Challenges in Europe
The primary challenge for 802.11ah in Europe lies in the restricted 5 MHz frequency spectrum. This band ranges from 863 to 868 MHz and gets split into five channels. Nonetheless, Morse Micro aspires to break into the European market and has crafted a new chip that adapts to various regions, thereby simplifying implementation and requiring just one SKU for global markets. The firmware will automatically adjust frequencies, saving on development costs and resources.
The launch of the 8108 chip is scheduled for April 2025, though sample chips are available now. Given the narrow bandwidth in Europe, Morse Micro will concentrate on the smart city sector, competing with LoRaWAN and similar networking protocols. The anticipated transfer speeds with the new chip are expected to reach hundreds of kilobits per second, adequate for sensors and over-the-air updates for smart city devices.
Potential and Limitations
This represents only a small part of the entire potential of the Wi-Fi standard. In the US, the 8108 could reach speeds of over 43.3 Mbps. The net transfer rates are 30 and 23 Mbps for UDP and TCP, respectively. However, achieving this requires an optimized setup and an 8 MHz channel, which isn’t practical in Europe. Also, the modulation density is set to 256 QAM while coding is at 5/6.
While other areas might offer faster speeds, they still don’t match those available in the US. In Australia, Morse Micro estimates that about three 4 MHz channels are accessible, whereas Japan only has one.
The US Advantage
The US benefits from a 900 MHz band designated as an ISM band, allowing for long-range communications. For example, Motorola’s digital 900 MHz DTR series radios could connect over several kilometers. In Europe, Motorola had to switch to the 2.4 GHz band, which limited the range of otherwise similar devices.
Despite the narrow frequency band in Europe, 802.11ah Wi-Fi still brings certain benefits. Walls have minimal impact on signal strength, and even rain, which can severely affect 2.4 GHz signals, only slightly affects Wi-Fi HaLow signals.
Due to the available frequencies and greater potential, Morse Micro is planning to prioritize the US market by the end of this year. In 2026, they aim to enter the European market with specialized Wi-Fi solutions tailored for the smart city sector.
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