Huawei debuts first 5.5G router ever – it’s tiny and available from next year, but chances are that you’ll never be able to buy it

Huawei’s LampSite X is a router unlike any other, in that it uses the 5.5G networking standard – which the firm dubs 5G Advanced – to bring high-speed networking to large internal compounds like airports and shopping malls.

Although 5G has taken public networking to a new level, there are still concerns over throughput as well as congestion, especially in highly densely populated areas. 

But, with the lowest energy consumption possible, LampSite X offers speeds of up to 10Gbps for users who link up with the network and strives to be the upgrade that many spaces with high footfall may well appreciate. 

How does the LampSite X work?

“LampSite X brings unrivaled 5.5G capabilities indoors for the first time to comprehensively upgrade indoor digitalization,” said Yang Chaobin, board member and president of ICT products and solutions at Huawei.

“Featuring the leanest design, simplest deployment, and lowest energy consumption, the solution achieves 10Gbps experience and offers diverse capabilities, meeting consumer demands for a more premium indoor experience and realizing more powerful digital productivity across various industries.”

The 5.5G hardware itself is as small as 1L in volume, with a weight of 1kg – which Huawei claims is the smallest in the industry. 

One LamSite X box also supports all radio access technologies as well as wideband wavelengths to support low energy usage and high performance. It is unique, the firm says, in that it combines mmWave 5G and sub-6Ghz to achieve its 10Gbps throughput – which is especially remarkable for indoor operations. 

Huawei is pitching this router to both consumer-centric and industrial settings, from business districts to factories, and claims it will unlock greater productivity and efficiency – especially given the speeds it offers coupled with minimal latency.

However, LampSite X won’t be available until the second half of 2024, and it remains to be seen whether this technology will ever thrive in the US or Europe, given the trade embargo against the Chinese networking giant. 

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