Parks Associates: Monthly Wi-Fi Usage Increased by 40% in U.S. Smartphone Households

Industry webcast featuring Parks Associates, Cirrent, and Comcast examines role of Wi-Fi in the IoT

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Jun 20, 2017, 08:30 ET

DALLAS, June 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Parks Associates research finds U.S. smartphone users reported a 40% increase in monthly Wi-Fi data consumption in 2016, with Wi-Fi usage increasing faster than mobile data usage. Over two-thirds use more than 3GB per month, and mobility combined with increasing numbers of connected smart home devices will put added pressure on the wireless home network to maintain quality of service and protect the data and privacy of its users.

Parks Associates: Mobile Data Consumed by Network

Parks Associates, Cirrent, and Comcast will address current consumer trends with Wi-Fi use, short-term and long-term changes occurring in home Wi-Fi, and how IoT players can leverage Wi-Fi and the home network to their advantage during the complimentary webcast "Wi-Fi for IoT: How Home Networking is Changing the Smart Home," on Tuesday, June 20, at 1 p.m. CT (11 a.m. PT).

The firm's latest consumer research, 360 View: CE Adoption and Trends, shows 87% of U.S. broadband households own a home network router and Wi-Fi network extender. This networking equipment is the most commonly owned device among households with three or more connected CE devices. U.S. broadband households own on average more than eight connected CE devices.

"More than 75% of U.S. broadband households use Wi-Fi for connectivity in the home," said Patrice Samuels, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. "Wi-Fi has become ubiquitous in consumers' lives, and its usage continues to rise. As a result, the vast majority of consumer solutions interact with Wi-Fi solutions on some level, which puts pressure on IoT companies to optimize their solution for a Wi-Fi environment."

"The Wi-Fi we know and love is getting better," said Rob Conant, CEO, Cirrent. "We're seeing a rapid evolution in Wi-Fi that enhances coverage and speed and, most importantly, radically improves ease of use for Wi-Fi products."

Parks Associates support research shows connectivity is a leading issue during smart home setup, while hacking and privacy concerns continue to increase among consumers. In this webcast, Parks Associates, Cirrent, and Comcast will address how companies building home entertainment, smart home, and IoT products can improve the IoT value proposition for all consumers through increased Wi-Fi coverage, enhanced network security, and improved interoperability. The following speakers will also share strategies for product companies to get near-term benefits and long-term alignment:

Scott Boyarsky, VP, Digital Home Products, Comcast
Rob Conant, CEO, Cirrent
Patrice Samuels, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates

"As consumers add more devices to their home network, it increases pressure on Wi-Fi networks to maintain quality of service," Samuels said. "Many providers are now starting to roll out whole-home Wi-Fi mesh solutions, which can maintain consistent signal throughout the home."

The webcast will include the following key takeaways:

Consumer Wi-Fi trends
Network considerations for smart home products
How products will be managed on the network
Connected home products likely to reach mass adoption first
Impact on the home network and the future of connectivity in the home

For information and to register for the event, visit www.parksassociates.com/wi-fi-iot. For more information about Parks Associates or to speak with an analyst, contact Holly Sprague at [email protected], 720-987-6614.

About Parks Associates
Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions. http://www.parksassociates.com

Contact:
Holly Sprague
Parks Associates
720.987.6614
[email protected]

SOURCE Parks Associates