Philips Lighting is now offering Light Fidelity (LiFi), a technology in which LED lighting provides a broadband Internet connection through light waves.

“While radio frequencies are becoming congested, the visible light spectrum is an untapped resource with a large bandwidth suitable for the stable simultaneous connection of a vast array of Internet of Things devices,” said Olivia Qiu, chief innovation officer, Philips Lighting.

LiFi is a two-way, high-speed wireless technology similar to WiFi but uses light waves instead of radio waves to transmit data. Philips Lighting can provide broadband connection with a speed of 30 Mb per second (Mb/s) without compromising lighting quality, says the company. With 30Mb/s a user can stream simultaneously several HD quality videos while having video calls.

French real estate investment company Icade is piloting the technology in its smart office in La Defense, Paris.

[Image courtesy: Philips Lighting]