As customers use more connected devices, home networks must provide steady internet connections, Gartner reports-- providing robust, reliable and fast fixed broadband access.
“Until 3 or 4 years ago consumers primarily accessed the Internet through PCs and laptops but at the beginning of 2013 the picture is very different,” the analyst says. “Consumers use multiple screens to perform various activities that require both fixed and mobile Internet connectivity... Consumers are screen-agnostic-— they will use whichever screen is convenient, as long as it is ‘connected.’”
According to Gartner in 2013 the average home houses 10 "potentially internet-enabled devices" used not only for video sharing and viewing but also home protection, monitoring, security, fitness and health monitoring. The analyst estimates annual WW wifi-only home device (mostly tablets) growth will reach 60 million units until 2016, while global mobile device CAGR (not counting smartphones on a mobile data plan) should total over 8% for the same period.
Video-specific connected device (TVs, STBs, DVRs, video players, game consoles, cameras) take rates will also grow as more vendors make connectivity a default feature in most devices.
“The increase in connected devices will require reliable broadband connectivity that is networked throughout the home,” Gartner continues. “The combination of an increasing number of Internet-connected devices and the expanding need for internet services beyond communication, information and entertainment to include home monitoring and security could create interesting opportunities for communications service providers (CSPs). These include upselling possibilities for CSPs, such as selling faster fixed broadband services to preserve the user experience and to create a competitive advantage over other providers offering similar services.”
In other words, CSPs need to upgrade networks to increase bandwidth throughput, while customers need to replace older wifi/wireless routers with models handling required bandwidth and interference from other wireless devices in the area.
Gartner also believes home automation will soon become an "integral part" of the home network, even if the varioous non-wifi automation wireless standards currently prove to be something of a challenge.
Go Gartner Market Trends: Home Networks Will Drive Success of Connected Home
