In brief: Signify is targeting commercial customers with Trulifi, hoping to attract clients that need wireless coverage in areas where radio spectrum congestion is an issue or not permitted at all, like in a hospital around sensitive machinery.
Signify, previously known as Philips Lighting before being spun off into a separate company, has launched a commercial wireless communications system based on LiFi technology.
Unlike traditional wireless standards such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or 4G / 5G that rely on radio signals, Trulifi utilizes light waves to enable secure two-way wireless communications "at speeds far above most conventional workplace wireless technologies."
Trulifi uses optical wireless transceiver technology built into Philips lighting products. The tech can also be retrofitted into existing lighting structures so customers don't have to perform a total gut job.
Signify said its Trulifi system provides wireless connectivity at speeds up to 150 Mbps over large spaces like office floors and meeting rooms. Handover is handled seamlessly between Trulifi-enabled devices, allowing users to roam freely within areas where coverage exists. A USB key plugged into a laptop is needed to receive the LiFi signal and send data back to the source.
The platform can also support a fixed point-to-point system with speeds up to 250 Mbps, acting as a wireless cable to connect devices.
The first two announced customers include Globalworth, an institutional investor and office landlord in Poland and Romania, and Claerhout Communication Campus, a Belgian marketing and communications agency.