Wireless routers seen as essential as smart devices take off

The wireless router is the number one technology US consumers can’t live without for more than day, according to managed services provider iQor.

A working router is necessary for consumers to enjoy smart devices and the connected lifestyle, including smart TVs and streaming devices, multiplayer gaming, tablets, voice controlled virtual assistants and smart speakers, IoT-enabled security systems, and more. According to the survey 64 percent of US adults say they couldn’t be without Wi-Fi for a day.

"The fact that the WiFi-connected smart home is the most important technology consumers don't want to be without–over the smartphone–is a shift that technology experts and brands must understand and plan for, because this is a relatively new market and consumer adoption is not yet mainstream," says Autumn Braswell, COO, LinQ Integrated Solution at iQor. "Currently, there is no clear brand owning the connected home customer experience. We believe that whoever can help consumers fully realize the potential of the connected home reality -- and connect multiple devices for maximum impact, security and efficiency -- will emerge as the brand leader five years from now."

The survey also reveals growing concerns over the increasing number of IoT devices. 70 percent are concerned their smart devices might be hacked and this figure rises to 79 percent among baby boomers.

In addition 54 percent fear a 'cascade effect' where if one devices fails it will cause other connected devices in the home to fail. This is added to worries about setup, with 63 percent of survey respondents having had set up issues and 48 percent operation issues in the last two years. Connecting a device to interact with other devices is difficult for nearly a third of consumers (31 percent).

"The connected home contains multiple devices, from a variety of device manufacturers, that are all supposed to work together in harmony. When an issue arises, consumers often do not know how to identify where the issue resides: with connectivity to the internet, with the device itself or with a different device it is connected to," adds Braswell.

You can read more about the survey findings on the iQor website.

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