A new startup will offer a large-area Wi-Fi system that can support up to 100 users over a 1.5 kilometre range with data rates of up to 100Mbps, supported by satellite backhaul. It will build on research conducted as part of the Connectivity Innovation Network’s Rapidly Deployable Large Area WiFi Project.

The NSW Telco Authority-backed CIN launched the LAWIFI pilot in 2022. The CIN said that the startup, WANFi Technology Pty Ltd, would be launching its new system soon. The system could potentially support connectivity for emergency responders, remote communities and large-scale events, it said.

“The launch of WANFi Technology is an exciting milestone for the CIN,” said the technical director of the CIN Jay Guo. “It is the result of a collaborative relationship that was formed through one of our first pilot projects, which necessitated true innovation, and ingenuity to achieve the ambitious outcomes set by the CIN. It is an excellent example of the real-world impact of our collaborative approach to solving connectivity challenges.”

The LAWiFi pilot drew together researchers from the University of Sydney and University of Technology Sydney, working with Pivotel and satellite services from NBN Co and OneWeb.

It combined a protocol stack designed to address the hidden node problem that can affect long-range Wi-Fi, high gain antennas designed that offer wide beamwidth and dual-polarisation and multi-constellation satellite backhaul as well as potentially being able to connect to LTE networks.

“WANFi’s collaborative roots stem from the CIN’s Rapidly deployable LAWiFi project. It manifests the value the CIN delivers as a facilitator and incubator of genuine and meaningful partnerships between academia, industry and government,” said USyd Professor Yonghui Li, Co-Director of WANFi Technology.

“We’re eager to deepen our collaboration with the CIN through our new startup. We will continue to innovate and create novel connectivity solutions to address the current market gaps, for those who need them most.”