Current Status and Challenges of Li-Fi: IEEE 802.11bb

Existing and emerging applications of wireless networks require high data rates for multiple users, transmission security, uninterrupted connection, and no performance degradation in dense deployments. Light communications (LC) is a method that can potentially satisfy these challenging requirements. Exploiting the visible and infrared light spectrum opens the door for novel applications in the industrial and medical areas, and in enterprise and residential scenarios where traditional radio frequencies are restricted, prohibited, or inefficient. To enable LC in Wi-Fi networks, the IEEE 802.11 Working Group has launched a new 802.11bb standard. Although the work is currently ongoing, it is already possible to sketch a general view of the key innovations of 802.11bb based on the ongoing discussions in the group. This article reveals the principles of 802.11bb operation, highlights the key novelties, and points out actual problems that can be solved by researchers wishing to contribute to the development of LC in 802.11.