Wireless Laser Optics Paves the Way for Ultra-Fast Connectivity in Saudi Arabia
Wireless Laser Optics Paves the Way for Ultra-Fast Connectivity in Saudi Arabia:
The telecommunications experts at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology are working on providing Saudi Arabia with affordable and fast internet wired to all devices.
Telecommunications experts from KAUST and Taara at X, the moonshot factory, successfully tested a wireless laser optics system called “network-in-the-box” in the Red Sea. This “network-in-the-box” system is a promising development toward achieving affordable and high-speed connectivity for the Kingdom.
Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini and doctoral candidate Fahad Al-Qurashi from KAUST are leading a team of researchers exploring the feasibility of using a low-cost technology called free space optics. This technology uses lasers and could be a substitute for the expensive fiber optics and radio frequency currently used in the Kingdom.
Exploring Free Space Optics (FSO) Technology
FSO is a technology that transmits video, voice, and data wirelessly using light that travels through free space. It operates at high speeds of tens of gigabits per second and requires a clear line of sight.
There is a tradeoff in the system. Lasers achieve high speeds at a low cost, but they lack cable protection like fiber optics and face exposure to the atmosphere.
The research team plans to tackle this challenge by setting up weather stations at FSO deployment sites. This will help them track the technology’s performance and conduct tests over the next year. The equipment will evaluate how different conditions, such as changes in temperature, wind speeds, and humidity, could impact the system’s performance. In addition, it will consider various factors, including how long the system operates, how far it operates, and any interruptions. Finally, they will use the information to improve the system, aiming to implement it widely in other regions throughout the Kingdom.
KAUST and Taara are setting up a high-speed connection using FSO technology. The connection has a speed of 20 Gbps and runs between the KAUST shore and a small island 2 km away. This is the first time Taara’s FSO has been used for maritime communication in the Kingdom.
Bhavesh Mistry, who is in charge of Taara’s operations in the MENA region, said that the company’s goal was to give more people around the world access to fast, secure internet. He was happy to work with KAUST to use Taara’s technology in places where installing fiber was hard to close the communication gap.
Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini stated that reliable maritime communication technologies are important because ocean activities are becoming more common and cover 71 percent of the Earth’s area. He talked a lot about how FSO communications might be able to get high data rates, which could lead to a lot of new ways to use marine communication.
Implementing wireless connectivity through Free Space Optics can change people’s lives in rural areas that don’t have internet access and in remote places on the water.
Conclusion
The experts in telecommunications at KAUST are working hard to provide Saudi Arabia with affordable and fast internet connectivity. They are using wireless laser optics technology to achieve this goal. This progress is a big move towards attaining high-speed internet in Saudi Arabia.
Last Updated on 9 months by News Editor
