Some days, it may feel like your tech is working against you (like when you didn’t renew your expiring password and now you can’t log into your account). Most of the time, though, the digital devices connected to your home Internet work together to make your life easier.  

Your tablet is casting to your TV, while your smart speakers are telling you what the weather will be like tomorrow. And if yours is a smart home, your lights are saving you money by turning themselves off, while your home security system is remotely sending alerts to your smartphone about activity at your home while you’re out.  

Smart homes are powered by the Internet of Things (IoT). To keep all those devices connected, you need a home Internet service that’s fast and reliable.  

Vodacom’s connected platforms allow us to connect anything, anywhere, anytime – globally. We have three main home Internet services: LTE, 5G and Fibre (FTTH). Here’s a look at which option is best for which living situation.  

IoT through LTE and 5G 

LTE (or Long-Term Evolution) is a standard for wireless broadband communication. It offers faster data and better reliability compared to older technologies like 3G, giving you a good balance of speed, coverage and stability. This plug-and-play solution makes it ideal for everyday use like browsing, streaming and video calls.  

5G, which is about 10 times faster than 4G, provides speeds of 150 to 200Mbps – and, depending on various factors, its peak speeds could reach 1Gbps. 

Vodacom’s Home Internet LTE and 5G give you that speed and reliability without the hassle of a fixed installation. It’s linked to a single location and covers all the data devices in your home (laptops, desktops, smartphones, TVs, consoles, etc). If you’re renting, or planning on switching homes any time soon, an LTE or 5G set-up is a smart choice because you can take it with you when you leave.  

Home Fibre IoT  

If you’re settled in your home and you’re ready to invest in uncapped, uninterrupted, lightning-fast Internet, fibre is the way to go. Vodacom’s Uncapped Fibre deals cover a range of options, from 25 Mbps download speeds to the 100 Mbps you’d need for a stable IoT environment, up to 200 Mbps, 500 Mbps and 1000 Mbps. All options are unshaped and unthrottled, so it’s a case of opening the tap and letting the data flow! 

The faster the connection, the more seamless your IoT experience will be and the more your smart home’s connected devices will be able to communicate with each other in real-time.  

Don’t underestimate the value of a fast connection. Two or three years ago, a 1000 Mbps home connection may have seemed like overkill. The #WFH shift has more South Africans working from home (even if it’s just a day or two a week), so today’s typical home has more connected devices and a greater bandwidth demand.  

Think about it: it’s your smart speakers, smart home security system, smart TV, smartphones, laptops, desktops and tablets, all working for you.  

For more stories about IoT products, check out our CIoT section on the blog. If you want to build an impressive smart home setup, start by checking out Vodacom Fibre for great deals.