Certification critical for successful IoT interoperability

“To ensure multi-vendor interoperability, accredited industry certification programmes should be used for every product to provide credibility and quality assurance for retail and carrier-based customers looking to add ever-increasing numbers of devices to the home network,” commented Yasay. “The successful global adoption of the Internet of Things is dependent on a robust and secure home network.”

IoT applications typically use simple, low bit-rate devices - the key requirements are in-home coverage, security and auto-configuration. However, at the same time there is a growing need for much faster in-home networks. A recent iGR report showed that average monthly broadband usage in US homes is 190GB per month, with more than 95% of this traffic being video. Additionally, Juniper Research has reported that 4K OTT adoption is set to rise from 2.3 million users globally this year, to 189 million by 2021. This translates to 1 in 500 US residents currently watching 4K online, but by 2021, it will be 1 in 10, a massive increase in access and in-home bandwidth.

The beauty of G.hn is that it can provide a single in-home network that meets the needs of both IoT applications and ultra-fast video. G.hn technology can provide seamless wired connectivity or a backbone for multiple wireless access points and IoT devices to greatly improve the wireless coverage within a home.

Yasay commented: “Today’s average household has advanced from having one user watching the occasional video on YouTube, to several users watching whole television series independently and simultaneously, using platforms such as Amazon Video and Netflix. G.hn is now widely regarded as the obvious choice for reliably delivering high bandwidth services and applications, and will increasingly be used to help connect IoT devices. This can either be as a backbone for low speed wireless IoT technologies, or embedding the powerline variant of G.hn in large, fixed mains powered devices such as washing machines and refrigerators.”

Interoperability is key to both these very different applications. HomeGrid Forum provides G.hn silicon and system certification through a strict compliance and interoperability testing programme to ensure the simplest and most secure means for consumers to connect their increasing number of devices and applications using the home network.

The message comes only a month after HomeGrid Forum and Allion Labs, the organisation’s Accredited Testing House in Taiwan, announced the number of G.hn certified products has more than doubled over the last 12 months. G.hn technology is becoming the industry’s number one choice for providing an in-home ultra-broadband experience as products can operate over any available medium, extend Wi-Fi coverage, provide coverage throughout the home, and are easy to install.

HomeGrid Forum has been championing the push for interoperability, performance (IOP) and compliance testing-based on real market requirements in the consumer technology industry.