Networking

Matter has received much attention in the Internet of Things (IoT) arena since its announcement in late 2019. The CSA, the organization which created Matter and Zigbee, wants to make Matter the new connectivity standard for smart homes.Since smart home devices and hubs started appearing on the market, the lack of compatibility between brands and devices has been a big problem. For years, you had to choose your home automation systems carefully, or you might end up with incompatible devices and have to juggle multiple apps to control your home.Also: Move over, Alexa and HomeKit: A new Assistant is here to open source your smart homeThe CSA aims to change that situation with Matter. This standard could diminish interoperability woes in home automation systems.Tech companies got involved quickly. Apple’s Corey Wang, a producer in Human Interface Design, mentioned Matter during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2022), pointing out the need to have more compatibility across brands in smart home devices for a truly connected home. Google added Matter-over-Thread support for its smart home hubs with Thread built-in. In 2021, Amazon announced that almost all Echo devices More

The decision, overseen by FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, marks a significant policy reversal from the Trump administration’s deregulatory stance.  Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Seven years ago, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under President Donald Trump’s hand-picked Chair Ajit Pai, a former Verizon in-house lawyer, killed off net neutrality. In a decisive move, the now Democrat-controlled FCC […] More

As one of two Tier 1 internet providers in this list (the other is AT&T), Verizon has more control over its network than competitors that have to purchase access from upstream providers. In addition, Verizon boasts that its services are available nationwide, although your location will determine which exact services are available.Fios Business Internet is Verizon’s fastest offering. This fiber-based service is available in nine states, all in the Northeastern US. The company offers four tiers, starting at 200 Mbps and going up to 2048 Mbps, at prices ranging from $69 to $249 per month, with price guarantees that increase with each tier. All plans offer the option of a single digital voice line for your business for $20, and you can get additional discounts for bundling with Verizon Wireless plans for business.Verizon also offers Internet Dedicated services, at speeds ranging from 1.5 Mbps up to 100 Gbps, with the fastest connection advertised as being suitable for data centers and cloud providers managing multiple simultaneous downloads of very large files. All plans come with strict service level agreements of 100% availability. If neither of those services is available at your location, you can choose 5G or LTE internet plans. Be aware that these options come with monthly data limits, unlike broadband offerings. Unlike some of its competitors, Verizon charges additional fees for equipment and some services, so be sure to include the full list of charges when comparing prices. More

June Wan/ZDNETSigning up for AT&T Fiber internet More

JuSun/Getty Images I never thought this would happen, but Xfinity is wheedling its way into my affections. Or, at least, out of my disaffections. Also: Switching to better internet? Do these 5 things before you change ISPs Sometimes the Comcast company has truly tested my patience — and not just mine. Whether it’s customers who […] More

HPE When I was a kid, I went to a science camp, and one of the instructors showed us a few inches of fiber optic cable. I remember thinking it was so neat that you could light it up at one end, and no matter how you twisted the cable, you could see the light […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETIf you’re a Comcast Xfinity Internet customer, you may have gotten a nice surprise recently — faster internet for no charge.And for some users, your new speed is double the speed you had previously.In a press release about the upgrade, Comcast noted several changes had occurred. The Connect level doubled from 75Mbps to 150Mbps, the Connect More tier went from 200Mbps to 300Mbps, the Fast tier went from 400Mbps to 500Mbps, and Xfinity Prepaid jumped from 50Mbps to 200Mbps.Also: 10 ways to speed up your internet connection todayThe company made a similar move in the fall of 2022.According to Emily Waldorf, Comcast’s senior vice president of consumer internet services, the changes come as Congress debates ending the Affordable Connectivity Program, which allows certain eligible households to receive a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service. More

Get a free Nintendo Switch when you sign up for the Verizon 5G Home Plus internet plan right now. CNETIn honor of this month’s Mario Day, Verizon is offering up a Super Mushroom-sized deal for new customers: If you sign up for a Verizon 5G Home Plus or LTE Home Plus plan More