Broadband News

UK homes set to get connected

Friday 02 December, 2011

By Duncan Heaney

New Intellect report predicts hi-tech future for UK homes, stresses need for fast and reliable broadband.

Technology inevitably changes the way we live our lives, but over the next decade we can expect nothing short of a “revolution”.

That’s according to a new report by Intellect UK, a trade body for the technology industry, which predicts that UK homes will become connected technology hubs, delivering everything from healthcare services to entertainment to people directly.

Homeowners will be able to control most aspects of their lives, including education, healthcare, energy management and entertainment services through connected devices, for example televisions, computers, tablets and smartphones.

It all sounds highly convenient (and excitingly futuristic), but there’s a lot work to be done before it’s a reality. The report warns that for this to actually happen, the government and private companies need to come together and define security and technical standards to ensure personal data remains fully protected and all the different technology is interoperable.

According to Colin Batten, head of internet and media for Intellect: “The devices and services which make up the connected home are either already available or being developed, so will ultimately arrive in everyone’s home.

“The challenge is to ensure people can get the most out of them by providing a joined up, robust network and not a piecemeal service, which would leave UK householders in the digital slow lane.”

Because “connected homes” will contain multiple connected devices, they will a need a fast, reliable internet connection; Intellect stresses that broadband speeds will need to be at least 6Mb for the concept to work.

The UK’s average broadband capability was calculated at 6.8Mb in May by telecoms regulator Ofcom, and most broadband providers are implementing plans to improve their infrastructures in the coming years. But with 30% of UK homes still without any connection at all according to Intellect, there’s some way to go yet before the connected home becomes a reality.

A full copy of the report can be found here.

Photo by krupp