Fiber-speed connectivity without the fiber: Introducing fiber-like!
Mobile data demand is growing exponentially, but the infrastructure to support it isn’t keeping up. Fiber rollout is slow and expensive, while radio spectrum is increasingly scarce. As mobile networks densify toward 5G and 6G, fiber backhaul availability is becoming a bottleneck.
fiber-like solves this by delivering fiber-grade connectivity through laser-based wireless links.
A spin-off of Fraunhofer HHI, fiber-like turns 30+ years of optical wireless communication research into deployable infrastructure. Their terminals based on LiFi 2.0 technology deliver up to 10 Gbps over distances of up to 1 km, with 99.99% availability even in adverse weather conditions. In other words: they enable ultra-fast internet through light beams, over long distances, and in tough conditions.
Unlike traditional free-space optics, fiber-like requires no expensive pointing, acquisition, or tracking. Their proprietary receiver technology enables easy alignment, no moving parts, lower cost, and longer lifetime.
The links operate in the unlicensed optical spectrum, require no interference coordination, and deliver ultra-low latency (<1 ms) with adaptive rate and power control.
This enables:
Backhaul and fronthaul for 5G/6G (and legacy networks)
Wireless link aggregation
Last-mile rollout (Wireless-to-the-Home)
Fast capacity upgrades where fiber isn’t viable
Their key insight: You don’t always need to dig trenches to get fiber-level performance. By moving connectivity into the optical domain, fiber-like unlocks a new layer of network infrastructure, combining the performance of fiber with the flexibility of wireless.
We’re excited to welcome fiber-like to the xG-portfolio and look forward to working with the outstanding team behind the technology (Max Julius Bode, Anselm Ebmeyer, Lennert Bober, Yazan Saleh, and Prof. Dr. Volker Jungnickel) as they advance their mission to connect the future by light.
