On July 8, 2022, the Rogers Communications outage impacted Canadians from coast to coast. It is estimated ten million people, businesses and essential services were disrupted.
From the halt of financial payments and, in severe cases, emergency 911 calls, consumers learned that their internet and Wi-Fi networks were a fragile ecosystem.
Among those also impacted were homeowners with smart home technologies like doorbells, security cameras, smart home locks and voice-activated devices.
From Amazon and Google to even IKEA, smart home technology is rising for various good reasons. However, most mainstream technology cannot fully operate when an internet outage occurs.
Smart Home Internet Outage
We believe you don’t need to be afraid of digital smart homes. However, we think you need to be cautious about your smart home products.
Mainstream smart technology relies on your internet and Wi-Fi connection to work and talk to each other. And in most cases, they also require a cloud-based platform. When the internet goes out, they can all be turned off, be useless or have limited features.
Let’s say you’re at home getting ready for bed when the internet goes out. Your voice-activated smart lights may no longer work, your smart locks are not responsive, and your thermostat may lose smart features. You may feel cold, in the dark, trapped in your own home and unable to fully utilize the platforms you invested in.
Smart Home Technology You Can Count On
Quinte Smart Homes can keep your devices working during the next internet outage. We do this by using ZigBee to connect your appliances and smart technology.
To explain it simply, ZigBee is a private network inside your home to connect your smart devices. Within your home’s connected radius, all linked devices will continue to transmit information to each other even if your internet goes out.
If you’re away on vacation and want to manage your devices remotely, you still require cellular data or Wi-Fi with an internet connection. However, your smart devices will still work and seamlessly speak to each other inside the home. Knowing your thermostat will continue to increase the temperature at 8 p.m., and your lights go on to make it look like someone is home even with no internet ensures you have peace of mind.
Upgrade to a Quinte Smart Home
The Rogers outage is an opportunity to consider what products you have in your home and make the upgrade to a safe, reliable, and even fun smart home. No project is too big or too small, and we are always excited to share various ways you can automate your home.
