The connected home market is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing components of the Internet of Things. According to Business Insider (2014 report), Connected Home device shipments are expected to grow at 67 percent CAGR, with shipments approaching two billion units in 2019.
The growing popularity of home automation systems is based on the increase in comfort and features enabled, savings from intelligent energy management, and improved home security. These systems rely heavily upon connectivity as one of its architectural pillars. With connectivity, entirely new home automation concepts become possible, far beyond the niche market where it has been for the last 30 years.
When people think of “connectivity” in the context of the connected home, they frequently make the mistake of only considering the home’s connection to the Internet. But the question remains, how is the individual able to connect with the systems in the home?
Roughly 80 percent of Americans have broadband in the home. Globally, the number is closer to 50 percent. Initial broadband deployments were driven by demand for web and email access. As Internet-based services such as Netflix and Spotify evolved and became widely adopted, the demand for broadband has only increased. Conventional cabling, combined with wireless point of access, is often adequate for service delivery. As (1) wireless network speeds improve and (2) costs for wireless data trends drop, there is an increase in the use of cellular service for broadband data. Most network operators offer a “fixed wireless” solution for broadband. These solutions may include other useful features, like an RJ-11 jack for connecting a POTS phone or fax.
However, one pervasive issue with cellular communications in the home (and in the office) is indoor coverage gaps. Even though coverage in a particular region may be ubiquitous, structural components, concrete and electrical interference, and environmental factors can impede signals in portions of a building. While this might be a simple inconvenience when making calls, the impact could be greater when an entire home relies on cellular to communicate. Unlike a smart phone, most connected home devices are fixed in place. In those circumstances, an indoor coverage solution that can give signals an extra boost or provide coverage exactly where it is needed is the ideal way to solve the issue.
Before understanding the options, let’s first look at the architectural foundations beneath the connected home. Some we know well. Others are less familiar.
First there is ZigBee, a global wireless standard (IEEE 802.15.4) that enables simple smart objects to work together. It is typically used for low data rate applications on equipment that doesn’t require long range wireless data transfer, such as sensors in wireless light switches, electrical meters, etc.
Z-wave is a second option for connectivity. Although not standardized like ZigBee, Z-wave had a jump on the market for low-power, short-range communications and has seen widespread adoption. The singularity of source Z-wave chipsets has made Z-wave devices highly interoperable. In contrast, ZigBee has suffered from compatibility issues between devices supplied by different manufacturers, based on how each supplier implemented the standard. ZigBee 3.0 is supposed to solve that.
6LowPAN is a technology, like ZigBee, based on IEEE 802.15.4, but (unlike ZigBee) enables IPv6 communications. So, 6LowPAN devices can participate in TCP/IP based communications—also known as the Internet. The Thread standard has been developed on top of 6LowPAN, adds a layer of security for devices, and enables point-to-point communications. Thread has been adopted by a number of important IoT companies and appears to have quite a bit of momentum. It may be the first real low-power IoT standard to attain critical market share mass.
We don’t need to spend much time on WiFi, as it is common. Where WiFi excels as a protocol for data transmission, it is relatively power hungry. The other detractor for Wi-Fi in the context of the Connected Home is its cost. To run a WiFi software stack requires substantial computing power, which means a relatively costly ASIC. With the intent to ship “billions” of these network nodes, even small differences in cost become extremely significant to a business model.
Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15.1) is another familiar short-range technology. It enables communication between mobile phones, computers, wearables, and other electronic devices. It’s also a low consumer of power and does not require a visual line of sight, but it is limited in terms of devices.
With LTE over cellular, rather than relying on a cabled connection from a traditional Internet or TV provider, users now have an option to go all-wireless with product offerings that rely on the high-speed LTE (4G) wireless network and can quickly and easily provide connectivity inside any space. In areas where LTE is not offered, 3G data services still offer connectivity, albeit at a lower data rate. In fact, most cellular service providers have wireless broadband router options that allow users to create “all cellular” homes. This unplugged world changes the indoor connectivity landscape considerably and provides unlimited new use cases.
There are a number of options for strengthening or relaying cellular signals to achieve a seamless indoor coverage experience at home, from femtocells (small cells) and WiFi calling (both of which require a broadband connection), to Smart Signal Boosters, which rely entirely on cellular signals. There are others, such as distributed antenna systems (DAS), but these tend to be prohibitively expensive and complex for home use.
By way of explanation, small cells operate as miniature, lower power, cellular base stations within a home. They typically require some configuration and cabling to access points, and cellular devices need to be registered. Users often experience issues like dropped calls when moving from inside to outside the small cell coverage area. Most small cells also have some limitations in terms of support for both voice and data.
As the name clearly implies, WiFi calling uses a WiFi network to enable users to make and receive phone calls. However, it only works with devices and carrier networks that support WiFi calling. It uses the Internet, instead of cell towers, to send cellular packets over a network and also needs to be configured. The coverage footprint of WiFi is subject to typical wireless challenges, such as obstacles, distance, interference, etc., which can all can negatively impact coverage.
On the cellular front, FCC-approved (see the Code of Federal Regulations—FCC CPF 201.21) Smart Signal Boosters are wireless devices that do not require access to a broadband network (also referred to as “backhaul”). Smart Signal Boosters work by amplifying an existing signal coming from a cell tower, macro network or small cell system. Unlike analog signal boosters, all-digital Smart Signal Boosters are designed to be carrier-specific to eliminate interference (raising the noise floor at the macro) issues while delivering more gain and coverage. They do not require registration of users or devices and can cover an area of up to 13,000 square feet.
When purchasing equipment that uses any of the technologies mentioned in this article, it is always a good idea to make sure the device is certified for use in the country the application will reside by the governing regulatory body, such as the FCC, the PTCRB or the GCF. It is usually easy to check: certified products typically promote their certifications. Silence about certification usually means a product is not certified. Given Internet-based sales, it’s quite easy to find low-cost products that do not meet regulatory requirements for safety or performance and are therefore not certified. These products usually do not perform well and can also pose safety hazards. Some countries heavily police for unlicensed products and will levy stiff fines against owners of the equipment.
When considering options for the connected home, it is not a case of one technology taking over the other. In fact, some can work in tandem (e.g. Smart Signal Booster with small cells) to deliver optimal results. However, given the increasing consumer reliance on cellular for everything from alarm backup to managing electrical appliances, seamless indoor coverage is quickly becoming an imperative for the connected home model.
