Publication date:

26 Oct 2022
Author:
Mariana Zamoszczyk, Principal Analyst, Smart Home Services

Matter support and Wi-Fi

sensing will help operators
reignite their growth potential
in the smart home
Omdia view
Summary
The Network X conference has been a platform for many broadband service providers to share with the
wider industry their plans for the smart home. One of the main takeaways from the conference is that many
operators believe in their right to play in the smart home market. To gain ground and visibility, they want to
provide greater device interoperability via Matter—the new smart home protocol—and access to
innovative home security and well-being services via Wi-Fi sensing.

Operators invest in next-gen router services to increase their

footprint in the smart home
A common theme in many presentations and discussion panels throughout the conference was the need
for operators to empower the router as a key enabler of digital experiences and value-added services for
the home. Built-in Matter support and Wi-Fi sensing functionality were referenced by many attendees as
the latest technology innovations expected to help operators make progress in this direction.
According to Omdia’s Digital Consumer Service Provider Insights 2022 survey, device interoperability is one
of the biggest internal challenges operators face when providing smart home services (Figure 1). Offering
support for Matter, the new smart home protocol developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA,
formerly known as the Zigbee Alliance), is expected to help operators overcome this challenge and solve the
interoperability issue. The new standard has been created to boost compatibility between devices and

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 Matter support and Wi-Fi sensing will help 1
operators reignite their growth potential in the
smart home

platforms from different providers, therefore reducing the tech fragmentation the smart home industry has
suffered from the outset.
More than 280 companies, including vendors such as Amazon, Google, Apple, and Samsung and operators
such as Comcast, Cox, China Unicom, and Vodafone, have agreed to support the new standard. Comcast is
already offering Matter support in its latest xFi Advanced Gateway Wi-Fi router. The growing cooperation
among market participants and the need to work closely with the hyperscalers is expected to encourage
more operators to join this trend, not only to promote device interoperability per se but also as a strategy
to expand the reach of their device and service propositions with more use cases and applications for the
digital home.
1. Figure 1: Matter is expected to solve the technology fragmentation of the smart home

Source: Omdia

In the case of Wi-Fi sensing, service providers such as Verizon and Orange have announced they are
increasing investment in this new home gateway functionality, which operates like a short-range passive
radar and allows motion detection and biometric measurement at home via Wi-Fi signals. This innovative
technology is easy to deploy with a software update and has several applications, including home security,
health monitoring, and building automation, among others.
Besides enabling operators to offer motion detection as a new Wi-Fi app service feature that can help
increase customer engagement, this type of investment also represents an important business opportunity
and entry point for whole-home smart security. This is because Wi-Fi sensing can be used to attract
potential customers interested in physical home security without the need for investment in new
equipment. It is important to highlight that for operators to succeed in this area, it will be key for them to
have in place, directly or via partnerships, a scalable home security service proposition designed to allow

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 Matter support and Wi-Fi sensing will help 2
operators reignite their growth potential in the
smart home

customers to choose the level of protection they want for their homes. This means offering complementary
value-added services such as video cloud storage for self-monitoring and 24/7 professional security alarm
monitoring. Moreover, Wi-Fi sensing offers operators a key opportunity to unify their digital and physical
approach to home security, for example, by enabling customers to control cyberthreats and home intrusion
via a single app.
Omdia expects more operators to follow these trends in the coming year, offering customers an
opportunity to maximize the capabilities of their home Wi-Fi networks via motion detection and greater
device interoperability. To make the most of these new technologies, it will be crucial for operators to treat
Matter and Wi-Fi sensing not in isolation but rather as key elements of the bigger smart home picture.

Appendix
Further reading
Smart Home Broadband Service Provider Benchmark: 2022 (October 2022)
Smart Home Services Forecast: 2021–26 (September 2022)

Author
Mariana Zamoszczyk, Principal Analyst, Smart Home Services
askananalyst@omdia.com

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We hope that this analysis will help you make informed and imaginative business decisions. If you have
further requirements, Omdia’s consulting team may be able to help you. For more information about
Omdia’s consulting capabilities, please contact us directly at consulting@omdia.com.

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 Matter support and Wi-Fi sensing will help 3
operators reignite their growth potential in the
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 Matter support and Wi-Fi sensing will help 4
operators reignite their growth potential in the
smart home

Citation policy
Request external citation and usage of Omdia research and data via citations@omdia.com.

Omdia consulting
We hope that this analysis will help you make informed and imaginative business decisions. If you have
further requirements, Omdia’s consulting team may be able to help you. For more information about
Omdia’s consulting capabilities, please contact us directly at consulting@omdia.com.

Copyright notice and disclaimer

The Omdia research, data and information referenced herein (the “Omdia Materials”) are the copyrighted
property of Informa Tech and its subsidiaries or affiliates (together “Informa Tech”) or its third party data
providers and represent data, research, opinions, or viewpoints published by Informa Tech, and are not
representations of fact.
The Omdia Materials reflect information and opinions from the original publication date and not from the
date of this document. The information and opinions expressed in the Omdia Materials are subject to
change without notice and Informa Tech does not have any duty or responsibility to update the Omdia
Materials or this publication as a result.
Omdia Materials are delivered on an “as-is” and “as-available” basis. No representation or warranty,
express or implied, is made as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of the information,
opinions, and conclusions contained in Omdia Materials.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Informa Tech and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees,
agents, and third party data providers disclaim any liability (including, without limitation, any liability arising
from fault or negligence) as to the accuracy or completeness or use of the Omdia Materials. Informa Tech
will not, under any circumstance whatsoever, be liable for any trading, investment, commercial, or other
decisions based on or made in reliance of the Omdia Materials.

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