An electronic shelf label (ESL) base station is a device that serves as the communication hub between the ESL management system and the individual electronic shelf labels. It uses a wireless connection, typically on the 2.4GHz frequency, to send and receive data, such as price updates, product information, or inventory changes, to and from the ESLs. The base station ensures that information is quickly and accurately distributed across all the labels in the store, enabling real-time updates without manual intervention.