In a SamKnows Panel Discussion, Speed is Becoming Less Important than Reliable Broadband Service

October 24, 2022 – In addition to high speeds, consumers shopping for home internet want low latency, network security, and intelligent in-home hardware, said the vice president of Comcast on a SamKnows Spotlight podcast episode released eirlier this month.

“We’re…getting to the point that speed is not the only thing, or perhaps speed is not the primary…metric that matters to users,” said Jason Livingood, vice president of technology policy and standards at Comcast, speaking on the October 13 podcast. “And to some extent that’s because you get to some point of diminishing returns,” where consumers don’t need speeds above a certain threshold.

Livingood argued that users will want networks that are “more consistent versus more variable, at peak versus off-peak [hours]” and built to protect users against malware and ransomware.

Many users also expect service providers to provide tech support for home network equipment, Livingood said. What’s more, ISPs have begun selling home network equipment themselves, which has become popular, he added.

“The first step was that customer premise equipment, including a home gateway or home router and wireless LAN or Wi-Fi LAN, and then it’s started to extend to pods or mesh Wi-Fi access points throughout the home,” he explained, alluding to connection extenders that provide stronger signals in the home.

Many such home network equipment have begun to intelligently control internet traffic, said Livingood, directing network flow, applying parental controls, and working with internet of things devices. “Are there certain devices that you want to prioritize on the wireless LAN, like my PC for doing video conferences at work versus my son’s gaming console?”

Alex Salter, CEO of broadband metrics company SamKnows, said on the same episode that market demand will drive ISPs to advertise in a more targeted way and offer plans tailored to the needs of individual customers.

“If ISPs want to win customers, they will have to speak to them as individuals,” he said. Salter added that internet customers want their ISP to understand their own individual needs.