Dubai is rolling out high-speed Internet via streetlights

Around 100 street lights in Dubai will emit LED-powered internet by the end of the year. This ambitious project is handled by UAE-based technology company Zero.1. Each of these high-end design lamps would cost under $1000.

The technology in question is LiFi (Light Fidelity) which can be used to connect devices via the now-ubiquitous LED bulbs (light-emitting diodes) instead of radio waves. Call it the optical version of WiFi, LiFi reportedly offers data transfer speeds of up to 224GB per second. That’s almost 100 times faster than WiFi tech, and significantly cheaper.

How it’s going to work for the Emirate is that every LED light bulb will be converted into a wireless router with the help of a small microchip.

According to the company, any LED lighting source can be used to provide LiFi hotspots. One can stream internet, video and audio over LiFi on various enabled devices through LED table lamps, floor lamps and even LED fictures.

The global LiFi market is expected to touch $80 billion by 2021, and the company sees it sees demand increasing exponentially over the coming years.

The good thing is that LiFi does not interfere with radio signals and is safe to use in radio frequency sensitive environments like nuclear plants or aircrafts. It’s also safer for hospitals, medical centres, and schools. It’s also more cost efficient and eco-friendly.

The only major worry about this tech is that since light cannot penetrate walls, it’s quite unlike WiFi where one router can do the job.

However, most believe that’s a small price to pay for saving the environment.

Image credit: Indiatimes