How smart is your home?
By
December 20, 2018
Back in the 1960s, the Jetson’s space-age home seemed to be a fantastical imagining of the distant future. Fast forward 60-odd years and what was once a figment of imagination is now in use every day.
Recently, we did some research into smart home technology in New Zealand in partnership with Digital Journey, and here’s what it revealed:
- More than a third of people surveyed (36%) are already using some form of smart home technology
- The most popular devices to control are the TV, heating and audio systems
- 73% using it are doing so daily and almost all (94%) are planning to introduce more smart home technology in the future
- If you’re not using it yet, you will be soon. Seven out of 10 people said they plan on introducing smart home tech to their household within the next two years.
Click here to find out what broadband options are available in your area.
What does this mean for you and your broadband usage?
With more connected ‘things’ in the home, you’ll be using more data. So, you’ll need to make sure you are on the best broadband available in your area and to keep an eye on your data usage if you’re on a capped plan.
Average data usage on our network is already over 100GB of data a month in Kiwi homes, a figure we predict will hit over 160GB by June 2017. We’re all very aware of the ‘Netflix effect’, but there are so many things beyond streaming online TV that contribute to this increase in consumption. The already solid uptake of smart home technology combined with the high intention to start using it shows that this technology could have a big part to play in the equation.
You may not think you need a faster connection and more data today, but technology is evolving constantly and it pays to be prepared. Case in point: this home robot is scheduled for release within the year. So it’s a good idea to think about how much data you use today and how that may change in the future, so when you choose your broadband plan its consider its ability to adapt to increased data usage.
To make sure you continue to get the best broadband experience in your home as you add new technology and devices, make sure you’re on the best available connection.
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