By Claus Hetting, Wi-Fi NOW CEO & Chairman
Plume IQ: Amazon leads home IoT battle of brands
Plume IQ has released its latest data and insights on home broadband trends and analytics – this time zooming in on the relative popularity of home IoT brands. For Plume-powered smart homes Amazon – perhaps unsurprisingly – leads the battle of the home IoT brands with 41% of homes operating at least one Amazon IoT device. Apple and Google practically share second place with close to 30% market share each. Plume IQ says IoT device choice is less concentrated among the top brands when comparing for example to previous Plume IQ data showing the popularity of smartphone, computer, and laptop brands.
Interestingly, IoT brand choice is strongly linked to choice of smartphone. For example: In homes with a high penetration of Apple smartphones, Apple represents 23% of IoT devices. Conversely, in homes where Samsung smartphones are dominant Apple IoT devices represent only 4% of total IoT devices. For monthly Plume IQ updates don’t forget to sign up to the free service here.
Israel opens door to new 6 GHz regulation permitting European Wi-Fi 6E devices to operate
Under the header of “reduce regulation where possible to facilitate personal and commercial imports” (from Europe) it now appears that Israel will soon allocate the lower 6 GHz band to Wi-Fi hence permitting Wi-Fi 6E operation. The formal regulatory rules have not been disclosed yet but the Israeli Ministry of Communications has issued a statement here giving permission to import European Wi-Fi 6E devices.
“The Minister of Communications decided to allocate additional frequency ranges for technological products imported to Israel for both personal and commercial imports, including products operating on Wi-Fi6E technology,” the statement says. This means Israel in effect will be following the 6 GHz rules established by the EU, a region that has allocated the lower 6 GHz band to lower power indoor Wi-Fi use.
CommScope inks deal to deliver Wi-Fi 6 home gateways to Foxtel Australia
Residential Wi-Fi gateway provider CommScope – also known as CommScope Home Networks – says it has signed a deal with Australia’s Foxtel to deliver and deploy its NGV448 Wi-Fi 6 ‘triple-play residential gateway,’ CommScope says in a July 6 press release.
CommScope says the new gateway will allow Foxtel subscribers to connect more devices to the home network and increase capacity for content streaming. The new unit will allow “simultaneous use of phone, video, and high-speed data over a bonded or single copper pair,” CommScope says. Foxtel currently serves just short of 4 million home subscriptions across Australia.
/Claus.