Price of mesh Wi-Fi systems a key barrier to adoption, says research firm

As consumers bring more connected devices into their homes, they will expect their broadband provider to furnish them with a Wi-Fi network solution. By 2021, ABI Research forecasts that over 831 million households will have a residential Wi-Fi network. The research firm said that broadband service providers that don't have Wi-Fi solutions, including Wi-Fi mesh network systems, run the risk of customer churn.

Khin Sandi Lynn, industry analyst at ABI Research, said that mesh Wi-Fi network systems are "beneficial in larger households that suffer from pockets of inadequate coverage, as their broadband routers are strong enough to provide premium coverage to the entire home and all of its connected devices."

Although mesh Wi-Fi systems can improve customers, price remains a key barrier. The estimated cost of a Wi-Fi mesh system with three access points could cost up to $300 to $500. To curb the Wi-Fi mesh sticker shock, some broadband providers like Midco offer AirTies' mesh network system to their residential broadband customers with up to four access points starting at $7.95 per month. Consumers can then purchase additional access points for an extra $2 each per month.

But mesh Wi-Fi systems are only one solution to improve the in-home Wi-Fi experience. New cloud-based residential Wi-Fi network management systems allow service providers to perform access point installation, network analysis, and troubleshooting remotely. Consumers will save money because these solutions forgo the need for technician visit their homes. Release