A continued partnership between Zetifi and Morse Micro, and commercialisation funding from the NSW Government Physical Sciences Fund, has led to the development of a flexible new connectivity platform for remote area communications through the integration Wi-Fi HaLow, 5G RedCap, Sleepy Wi-Fi power management, and integrated Zetifi Smart Antennas.
LAS VEGAS, NV- Jan 7th, 2025 – Zetifi has partnered with fellow Australian connectivity company Morse Micro to unveil its newest Wi-Fi HaLow-powered product platform at CES 2025. Their Z1 range of products will simplify coverage extension and enable farmers to consolidate network connections by easily extending a single internet connection to multiple vehicles or fixed infrastructure.
Zetifi’s CEO, Dan Winson, explains that the availability and rapid adoption of low earth orbit satellite options led to the realisation that a new problem had emerged in rural communications, and that the solution was right in the sweet spot for Zetifi and Morse Micro.
“The emergence of low earth orbit satellite networks like Starlink has been a true game-changer, but it has already become a large monthly expense for many regional businesses.
“Even a medium size farming operation could have more than 10 pieces of machinery or sites that all need reliable internet connectivity to run their business effectively.
“As a regionally based company, we quickly learnt from our customers that they were wanting options that allowed them more flexibility and control over these mounting service costs.”
Zetifi’s approach to coverage extension is two-fold; their products allow a single internet connection to be distributed to other vehicles or sites as a Wi-Fi HaLow mesh network, and they extend cellular coverage using powerful integrated antennas that allow cellular or direct-to-handset satellite connectivity when outside of the mesh network footprint.
Morse Micro’s Wi-Fi HaLow, a new long-range Wi-Fi protocol that operates at 900MHz that offers greater range and penetration through obstacles compared to standard Wi-Fi, is a critical part of the equation.
“We set ourselves the goal of making it as easy as possible to achieve the same level of reliability and coverage for these types of operations with only two or three paid network connections. This can represent a saving of over $1,000/month so investing in affordable priced hardware to get more coverage from a service is a compelling value proposition when compared with adding more subscriptions every year,” said Dan.
Zetifi has shifted its focus from its previous X generation products (ZetiRover X and ZetiCell X) to the Z1 platform. While the X series prioritized cellular connectivity, the Z1 range integrates Wi-Fi HaLow, 5G RedCap, Wi-Fi 6, and Zetifi’s patent-pending smart antenna technology to deliver a versatile, low-cost, and easy-to-install connectivity platform.
“The possibilities opened by Starlink’s solutions made it clear we needed to re-evaluate our role in connecting farms.
“Farmers love the idea of having Starlink on their house, and lots of them will use Starlink Mini for their main tractor, but investing in affordable hardware for better coverage is far more practical for farmers than endlessly adding more subscriptions. Discontinuing the development of the ZetiRover X and ZetiCell X to make the most of this opportunity is the right decision,” said Dan.
“The new Z1 platform complements our range of Smart Antennas and aligns with the future direction of LEO satellite and direct-to-handset technologies.”
The Z1 platform will include compact solutions for vehicles and machinery, comparable in size to existing UHF or LTE antennas, as well as larger integrated options for buildings and in-field coverage. Zetifi plans to price the Z1 products at roughly half the cost of the X series.
Zetifi’s prototype ZetiRoam Z1 mesh repeater and ZetiCell Z1 are on display this week in Las Vegas at Tech West at The Venetian, Level 3, Lido 3001 as part of Morse Micro’s presence at CES 2025.
ENDS
Media contacts
Robert Lansdown, Commercial Manager, Zetifi | +61 448 044 866 | rob.lansdown@zetifi.com
Maggie Redford-Hill, Head of Communications, Morse Micro | maggie.gaston@morsemicro.com
Zetifi is an Australian wireless innovator dedicated to connecting remote and rural industries from agriculture and mining to emergency services. More than $10m of Australian Commonwealth and NSW Government funding and a $12M Series A led by Telstra and GrainCorp is supporting Zetifi’s mission to deliver cost-effective, long-range broadband solutions anywhere they’re needed.
Morse Micro develops Wi-Fi HaLow technology, enabling long-range, ultra-low-power networking for industrial IoT, logistics, and agriculture. Visit Morse Micro’s private suite near the Tech West CES floor at the Venetian Hotel. Learn how the ZetiRover and ZetiCell and Wi-Fi HaLow can modernize farming operations for a more productive and sustainable future.
