Silicon Labs plans a collaboration with Amazon to support Amazon Sidewalk, a shared network created by neighbors who share a small portion of Wi-Fi bandwidth to help their devices work better at home and, yes, out on the sidewalk. Silicon Labs’ wireless implementations for Amazon Sidewalk will enable developers to create IoT products with encrypted cloud communication, no matter which protocol is used. Silicon Labs’ EFR Wireless Gecko Series products support Sidewalk's sub-GHz and Bluetooth Low Energy protocols.
Operated by Amazon at no charge to users, Sidewalk helps simplify new device setup, extends the working range of low-bandwidth devices, and helps them stay online and up-to-date even if they are outside their home’s Wi-Fi range. With Amazon Sidewalk, users can experience improved coverage of smart devices in and around the home and throughout the neighborhood, enable limited offline connectivity for uses such as motion alerts from security cameras, receive customer support for troubleshooting even when Wi-Fi is down, and easily setup new devices.
In the future, Sidewalk will power new device functionalities such as tools that can self-diagnose problems and order replacement parts, deliver improved range with reduced energy consumption for smart locks, and offer the ability to locate pets or valuables throughout your neighborhood.
Equipped with multiple layers of security and privacy, Amazon Sidewalk will support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) and Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) in the 900-MHz band.
Silicon Labs, www.silabs.com