Qualcomm this week unveiled a new WiFi platform meant to accelerate the adoption of mesh systems for smart home connectivity.
Qualcomm’s Mesh Networking Platform includes a suite of technologies packaged to make it easier for OEMs and broadband providers to deliver next-generation connected home services. The platform is based on Qualcomm’s IPQ40x8/9 network system-on-chip, which the company said is used almost ubiquitously in today’s mesh networking products, and includes features like voice control capabilities, centralized management, and security. The suite also includes Qualcomm’s Mesh Networking Reference Design to help OEMs accelerate development and launch of new networking products.
The platform comes with a WiFi Self-Organizing feature collection to facilitate easy setup, automatic management, security, and traffic optimization for users. Qualcomm said the platform will also enable cloud-based diagnostics for remote monitoring, diagnostics, and analytics for troubleshooting. The company said its platform will also come with support for a built-in microphone and speaker, voice recognition software, and will be compatible with APIs for popular could-based assistants like Amazon’s Alexa.
That last bit is likely a wise move given three-quarters of U.S. consumers reported having used voice commands on one of their devices. Recent data from Parks Associates also suggested 55 percent of U.S. broadband households want to use voice control for entertainment and smart home devices.
The remote diagnostics feature will also likely scratch an itch for the 45 percent of consumers who told Parks Associates they’d be interested in support services from their broadband provider to help resolve technical issues with their smart home devices.
“Qualcomm Technologies helped create a new category of mesh networks that are transforming in-home connectivity. With our new Qualcomm Mesh Networking Platform, we are building upon that foundation to accelerate the next generation of mesh systems to further enhance connected services in the home,” Qualcomm Technologies’ VP of Product Management Gopi Sirineni commented. “New capabilities like voice assistance and IoT radio integration will not only transform consumer experiences at home, but along with carrier-grade feature enhancements, make it easier for our customers to adopt and deploy mesh systems aligned to how people want their networks to perform.”
On the technical side of things, Qualcomm said the platform has been designed with backhaul flexibility in mind, and includes support for 802.11ac, 802.11ad, 802.11ax, or Powerline technologies. Additionally, an IoT Connectivity Feature Suite will ease fragmentation challenges, serving as a universal translator to enable simultaneous use of WiFi Bluetooth, CSRmesh connectivity, and 802.15.4-based technologies across a network.