In the midst of an increased focus on improving Wi-Fi experiences in the house, Arris is the latest to jump into home Wi-Fi management.
Wi-Fi-related technical troubleshooting has become a major headache for service providers, with customers calling customer support for minor issues such as accessing Wi-Fi passwords or needing to reset the router. Earlier this year, Comcast began deploying its xFi Wi-Fi management platform and apps.
Arris unveiled the new HomeAssure end-to-end solution at IBC in Amsterdam this week. HomeAssure offers a “comprehensive sets of tools for delivering a first-class Wi-Fi experience,” Arris claimed. The solution uses a network of Arris-built Wi-Fi extenders and gateways that broadband subscribers can install and configure themselves throughout the house. The HomeAssure-enabled extenders can auto-configure, which Arris said increases coverage in the home.
“Consumers expect consistent, high-speed Wi-Fi coverage throughout their home, even outside to their patios,” said Larry Robinson, Arris president of CPE.
HomeAssure uses automated network optimization to steer CE devices to different access points within the home network in order to help optimize Wi-Fi experiences for subscribers, ranging from streaming media to connected devices to making calls over Wi-Fi. The solution’s “Fast Steering” capabilities are based on the 802.11v BSS Transition Management standard that can move devices between access points in milliseconds in order to avoid congestion and maximize signal strength.
Arris’s HomeAssure also offers a range of customer support features and tools to make technical issues easier to resolve for operators. Arris has built consumer-facing websites and mobile apps for troubleshooting things like viewing or changing passwords, and managing set-up of HomeAssure, including signal measurement for finding the best spot to place extenders, and setting up parental controls.
“It’s simple to use, self-optimizing, and it offers a valuable tool for reducing calls to the call center while improving customer satisfaction and loyalty,” Robinson said.
Service providers can also remotely manage the home Wi-Fi network using Arris’s technician and network management tools. HomeAssure is integrated with Arris’s ECO cloud management platform, aimed at improving operations management. The ECO platform includes remote monitoring and configuration for fault diagnosis, analytics, help-desk tools that enable customer service teams to see the entire home network and technician tools for improving onsite service efficiency.