Homes across the United States are getting “smarter” every day. This smart tech revolution, known as the Internet of Things (IoT), has taken the world by storm in the past decade.

According to Finances Online, in 2020, an estimated 9 billion smart devices were active. By 2030, that number is projected to skyrocket to a whopping 25.44 billion.

The Smarter the Device, the More Data It Transmits

The IoT requires a lot of data transfer to be functional. This is because smart devices constantly communicate with the cloud, your smartphone and other connected devices. This type of data transmission requires high Internet speeds, low latency and high data plans to function properly.

Picture this: your Internet service provider offers a capped data plan, but your house is decked out with the latest smart technology. You fridge, washer, dryer, TV and doorbell constantly use that data to function. Halfway through the month, you’re streaming the latest episode of your favorite TV show when suddenly, you run out of data. Maybe your plan offers reduced speeds after hitting your data limit. In that case, you can continue watching your show, but it buffers constantly. Or, perhaps your plan begins charging you costly overage fees that add up for the rest of the month. Neither option is ideal when optimizing your daily life with the IoT.

In other words, when embracing the IoT in your household, finding an Internet plan that accommodates your lifestyle is necessary. Luckily, some service providers, like Pavlov Media, have no data caps — meaning your devices can transfer data all day long without running into overage fees or intentionally reduced speeds.

That covers the data needs for your smart devices, but to truly enjoy your smart home, you still need to consider a few other Internet needs.

Speedy Devices Need Speedy Connections

When you have a smart device, you likely have it for convenience, meaning you expect it to respond quickly. Smart devices are designed to do exactly that. However, their speed is limited to the speed of their Internet connections. We’ve already talked about how smart devices require a lot of data transmission. More data transmission means that more speed is necessary.

Let’s think of data transmission as mailing a letter to a friend.

Writing the letter: Data creation

Sending the letter: Data transmission

The time it takes the letter to reach the destination: Upload speed

Your friend receiving the letter in the mail: Data reception

The time it takes to get your friend’s response: Download speed

The overall time between sending your letter and receiving your friend’s response: Latency

Physical letters are called snail mail for a reason, so obviously Internet data transmission is much quicker. However,  upload and download speeds lower than 500 Mbps can impact how fast your smart devices work, especially when you have multiple that you rely on daily.

If you’re unsure how fast your Internet is, try conducting a speed test to measure both upload and download speeds.

Typically, traditional Internet options like cable offer download speeds that are much faster than upload speeds. In other words, with cable Internet, your smart devices will send data faster than they receive it. When you use multiple smart devices to communicate with each other, such as one smart device communicating with lights, TVs, and other home automation, having fast upload speeds is crucial and can make or break smart device functionality.

Fiber Internet benefits the IoT by offering symmetric upload and download speeds, meaning data will leave and return to your device at the same speed. This can enable your smart devices to work faster and on par with the automation you want in your home.

Rapidly Advancing Technology Needs Frequent Updates

If you already have several smart devices, you know how often they need to update with new firmware. Whether your device needs a simple update like a bug fix or a major update with all-new capabilities, updating when needed is important to keep your devices as functional as possible. That said, updates have Internet requirements to prevent extended downtime.

Firmware updates require a stable Internet connection. When automatic updates are interrupted by Internet downtime, the results can vary. At best, the update will have to restart. At worst, your device can lose data or break completely.

Of course, Internet outages are inevitable for any provider, but fiber Internet, especially underground fiber, can mitigate the frequency of outages.

Ultimately, consider choosing reliability when connecting your smart home to the Internet to ensure your updates are uninterrupted and successful.

Making the Switch to a Home Powered by the IoT

As you get more smart devices and rely more on the IoT in your everyday life, ensure your Internet connection can support it. Pavlov Media’s high-speed fiber Internet has speeds up to 8 Gbps and unlimited data, meaning you can power your smart home without worrying about major downtime or inconvenience.

Find out if your household is eligible for Pavlov Media’s fiber.