The Zigbee Alliance Introduces First Multi-Band IoT Mesh Network Technology for Massive IoT Deployments

Zigbee PRO wireless network specification now simultaneously supports
both sub-GHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands for IoT design flexibility and
connectivity

DAVIS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#ConnectedDevices–The Zigbee
Alliance
, an association of companies creating, maintaining and
delivering open, global standards for the Internet of Things (IoT),
today announced the availability of Zigbee PRO 2017, the latest offering
in the Alliance’s flagship
mesh networking technology
designed to connect and facilitate
interoperability between smart devices. Zigbee PRO is the underlying
network technology that supports full-stack interoperable devices
certified under Zigbee 3.0.

With PRO 2017, Zigbee is the first mesh network capable of operating in
two ISM frequency bands simultaneously: sub-GHz 800-900 MHz for regional
requirements and 2.4 GHz for global acceptance. This dual-band option
enables flexibility and design choice for manufacturers, municipalities
and consumers wanting to connect products across buildings, cities and
homes.

“PRO 2017 is the ideal wireless solution to cast large IoT networks
across buildings, business parks, large facilities, cities and venues
challenged by connectivity issues such as reinforced concrete and steel
studs,” said Victor Berrios, vice president of technology, Zigbee
Alliance. “The deployment potential is tremendous for smart homes, smart
buildings and smart cities.”

Devices based on the Zigbee PRO 2017 network specification are part of
Europe’s biggest engineering projects today: Zigbee PRO-based solutions
are being deployed across the United Kingdom, which has a government
mandate to roll out smart meters to approximately 30
million homes by 2020
with an estimated $15 billion expected in net
benefits based on consumer energy savings and lower energy generation
demand. The Zigbee PRO 2017 initiative had its genesis in this smart
electric/gas meter roll out for the Department for Business, Energy &
Industrial Strategy (formally the Department of Energy & Climate
Change), which required a blend of 2.4 GHz and sub-GHz Zigbee devices
(on average, there are five nodes – where Zigbee technology lives – used
per household). As a global, open standard driven by industry leaders,
Zigbee Alliance member companies worked together to address this need,
and to bring the Zigbee PRO 2017 network specification to market.

Leveraging Zigbee PRO 2017, product manufacturers can now build devices
that utilize a single network operating on multiple bands to address the
challenges of surrounding physical environments. The inclusion of
sub-GHz capabilities supports IoT networks for multiple use cases
including smart outdoor lighting, use within facilities such as retail
settings and data centers that need to monitor broad ambient conditions,
and when deployed across harsh environments. The Zigbee PRO 2017 network
specification provides key advantages including longer range, reduced
power consumption and lower operating costs for low-data-rate
applications ranging from home security and automation, to smart
metering and connected lighting.

According to Parks
Associates
, more than 442 million connected consumer devices –
including connected entertainment, mobile, health and smart home devices
– will be sold in the U.S. in 2020. “As both the volume and breadth of
connected products grows and the market moves past early adopters,
network reliability is paramount,” said Tom Kerber, director, IoT
Strategy at Parks Associates. “Dual-band radios and sub-GHz frequencies
will provide reliable network solutions to cover the huge variety of
architectures and building types throughout the world.”

To complement PRO 2017-based products, the Alliance offers its Zigbee
Certified products program
, which ensures that quality,
interoperable Zigbee devices are available for ecosystem developers,
service providers and their customers. Leveraging Zigbee technology to
build for the IoT now gets innovators into a rapidly growing market
today, puts them on a proven and reliable path toward dotdot
– the universal language for the IoT – and fosters collaboration between
hundreds of leading tech organizations invested in and designing for
Zigbee-based networks.

To learn more about the Alliance that’s leading the global evolution of
the Internet of Things, visit www.zigbee.org.
For a list of all Zigbee Alliance members, click here.

About the Zigbee Alliance

The Zigbee Alliance is the foundation and future of the IoT. Established
in 2002, our wide-ranging global membership collaborates to create and
evolve universal open standards for the products transforming the way we
live, work and play. With our members’ deep and diverse expertise,
robust certification programs, and a full suite of open IoT solutions,
we are leading the movement toward a more intuitive, imaginative and
useful world.

Contacts

for the Zigbee Alliance
Heather Chesterman, +1-714-389-5588
[email protected]