How can the consumer technology industry and standards bodies ensure existing networks are able to cope with the constant influx of new devices?
By Donna Yasay, President, HomeGrid Forum
The consumer technology industry is continuing to boom, with shipments of 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) TV sets in the US having reached an estimated four million by the end of 2015, more than 200% up on the previous year according to the Consumer Technology Association.
Not only are we seeing major uptake in the latest TV sets, “second screens” such as tablets are increasingly common, and consumers are snapping up phones faster than ever. These devices allow consumers to stay connected for both personal and work use, anywhere within the house, and when venturing outside. This is likely to involve multiple wireless access points which need to be interconnected by some kind of backbone.
Consumer purchases are driven primarily by cost, and so many households will end up with different devices from competing manufacturers and operators. With more and more consumers opting to purchase the very latest in TV and second screen technology, the need for cohesive industry standards within the consumer technology space to ensure reliable, wireless-attached video delivery is critical.
The key question is “how can the consumer technology industry and standards bodies ensure existing networks are able to cope with this constant influx of new devices?” What’s more, consumers have come to expect and rely upon faultless wireless communications and video delivery over their networks. Standards bodies need to ensure that the consumers’ requirements are met.
HomeGrid Forum recognized the need for Interoperability, Performance (IOP), and Compliance Testing based on real consumer market requirements. HomeGrid Forum is the industry group achieving these objectives for G.hn, and all its members are developing G.hn products and technologies. There is a continuing need to keep track of new requirements and market trends to maintain the relevance of industry standards.
G.hn is the backbone for the fastest and most reliable in-home network available today and can very simply extend wireless connectivity throughout the home and maintain the level of service needed for video delivery. Able to operate over any existing type of wire, G.hn networks support the latest service innovations, such as multi-room, multi-screen ultra-HD video.
Devices certified by HomeGrid Forum bring significant improvements for today’s customers. Key elements include HomeGrid Forum’s commitment to interoperability amongst different chipset providers, as well as guaranteed speeds between different devices; standards bodies do not address these aspects in any detail.
Consumers expect flawless video delivery and wireless communications throughout their home, and we will continue to work to provide and develop the backbone to underpin these requirements.
Read more in my recent feature in InterComms Magazine: http://www.intercomms.net/issue-26/pdfs/articles/homegrid.pdf