Wi-Fi HaLow Momentum Builds at Wi-Fi World Congress 2026

The future of long-range wireless connectivity was on full display at Wi-Fi World Congress 2026, where industry leaders, innovators, and ecosystem partners gathered to discuss the next phase of connected systems. One message stood out clearly: Wi-Fi HaLow has moved beyond early curiosity and into real-world deployment momentum.

Across industrial automation, utilities, transportation, security, and smart infrastructure, organizations are adopting Wi-Fi HaLow to solve connectivity challenges that traditional wireless technologies often struggle to address. With long range, lower power consumption, strong signal penetration, and native IP networking, Wi-Fi HaLow is proving to be a practical solution for modern Industrial IoT environments.

For Gateworks, the event was especially meaningful as Kelly Peralta took the stage to present “Wi-Fi HaLow for the Long Run.” Her presentation used a marathon theme to illustrate the persistence, engineering discipline, and long-term commitment required to bring transformative wireless technologies to market.

Kelly highlighted that many companies entered the market early, but few stayed committed through technical hurdles, certification requirements, and the patience required for industrial adoption. Gateworks remained focused on delivering production-ready embedded platforms that help customers move from evaluation to deployment faster.

Built on the IEEE 802.11ah standard, Wi-Fi HaLow was designed for environments where conventional Wi-Fi can fall short, including large industrial campuses, remote infrastructure sites, utility networks, warehouses, and facilities with dense walls or interference challenges.

Real Markets Are Driving Adoption

Wi-Fi HaLow is no longer theoretical. It is now being deployed in markets where range, reliability and scalability matter most.

Examples discussed at the event included:

Smart grid monitoring
Retail loss prevention
Asset tracking
Mobile robotics
Smart meters
Environmental monitoring
Wildfire detection
Autonomous mowers
Security systems

These applications often require fewer access points, lower infrastructure costs, and the ability to connect many endpoints across wide coverage areas. Wi-Fi HaLow helps meet these demands while preserving simple IP-native integration.

Industry forecasts expect annual Wi-Fi HaLow-enabled device shipments to exceed 100 million units by 2029, reinforcing the momentum now building across multiple vertical markets.

Morse Micro Continues to Push Innovation

A major contributor to this growth is Gateworks partner Morse Micro. Their MM8108 chipset continues to advance Wi-Fi HaLow performance and efficiency for next-generation devices.

Key advantages of the MM8108 include:

Up to 43.3 Mbps throughput
Improved spectral efficiency with 256-QAM
Lower power consumption
Better wall penetration
Longer range capability

Gateworks integrates this technology into the GW16167 M.2 module, giving OEM customers a production-ready path to deploy Wi-Fi HaLow across Gateworks Venice, VeniceFLEX, and Catalina single board computers.

Industry Feedback Reinforces the Opportunity

Early deployments continue to validate the promise of Wi-Fi HaLow in demanding environments.

“The reliability of the HaLow network under extremely demanding conditions exceeded our wildest expectations—we have not been able to break it. We evaluated multiple HaLow technology partners, and it is clear that Gateworks was and remains the best choice for our requirements. Gateworks has exceeded our expectations across the board; it is rare to find a partner that delivers both top-tier technology and a genuine commitment to our success, but Gateworks does exactly that.”
Scott Carter, Chief R&D Engineer, Gatekeeper Systems

“Many conventional wireless technologies struggle to simultaneously deliver the long-range coverage, device density, and bandwidth efficiency required in these environments. The IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi HaLow platform from Morse Micro uniquely addresses this gap by providing sub-GHz connectivity optimized for long-range, low-power, and large-scale IoT deployments.

Combined with the robust embedded computing platforms and support from Gateworks, this solution enables scalable communications across large solar sites while maintaining system simplicity and cost efficiency. We see this technology partnership as a key enabler in advancing the next generation of intelligent, distributed energy infrastructure.”
Shreyas Kukanni, Senior Director, Engineering & Technology, Gigagrid

In the applications I’ve deployed thus far the HaLow hardware and software have performed far beyond what I had originally hoped for. HaLow is a remarkably useful and versatile specification, and fits our applications like a glove.
Curtis Johnson, Chief R&D Engineer, Southern US Rail Company

By embedding Gateworks’ cutting-edge Wi-Fi HaLow technology, we have effectively erased the boundaries of traditional wireless, sparking a revolution in long-range, IP-native connectivity. By harnessing unparalleled signal penetration, we maintain operational continuity in the shadows where traditional systems simply go dark.

Gateworks sub-GHz powerhouse serves as the core backhaul for our IP Mesh MANET radio, where HaLow’s ability to pierce through concrete, steel, and dense foliage meets our high-performance architecture.

While our high-powered competition (consuming 2000mW to over 4000mW) fails at non-line-of-sight ranges of less than half a kilometer, we achieve that same performance on our lowest transmit power setting of only 63mW while also maintaining a stable HD video steam. This ensures ultra-low power consumption and a minimal RF footprint for low-detection operations.

Gateworks represents more than an incremental upgrade; its elite engineering at its finest; a definitive, unbreakable, and discrete solution for today’s most demanding mission-critical environments.
Serafin, Owner/Engineer, Off Grid Solutions

Built for the Long Run

Wi-Fi HaLow momentum is no longer just a forecast. It is now visible in shipping products, active deployments and growing ecosystem support.

Gateworks remains committed to helping customers bring rugged, production-ready Wi-Fi HaLow systems to market with trusted embedded computing platforms, Linux support and long lifecycle availability.

As the market continues to scale, Gateworks is proud to be in it for the long run.