Turning home Wi-Fi into a subscription service ?

[Mike Mercury]

You have to subscribe even to buy a router

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbrea...vice-announced

A Wi-Fi router startup is trying to shake up how we think about home Wi-Fi in a major way: by turning it into a subscription service.

The plan comes from Plume, one of several companies that have popped up over the past few years to capitalize on the growing popularity of mesh Wi-Fi systems that use multiple routers to provide better in-home coverage. Plume launched in late 2016 and has been selling its first router straight to consumers ever since. That changes today with two big announcements.

First, Plume is launching a more capable, tri-band router called the SuperPod. (Its normal router is called the Plume Pod.) It’s a bit bigger and a lot more expensive, and there isn’t much special about it on its own; most mesh systems offer both dual- and tri-band options at this point.

The bigger change is Plume’s business model, which is completely changing today. Previously, you would buy a Plume router (or several of them, since this is a mesh system) and go on your way, just as you would with every other router in existence. But that’s not the case anymore.

Now, you’ll have to subscribe to Plume’s Adaptive WiFi service before you can even buy a router. And once you own Plume routers, you’ll want to stay subscribed, or else the routers won’t work — period. (Existing Plume Pod owners will be grandfathered in.)

Plume’s subscription service will cost $60 per year, or $200 for a lifetime membership. At least, it’s cheaper at first. Plume is hoping to make up the difference by getting you to pay $60 per year indefinitely in order to keep your routers running well. In addition to the hardware discount, subscribers will also get access to parental controls, “security products,” speed tests, and “active management.”

I kept asking Plume’s CEO what “active management” is, and it’s still not clear to me. The company’s argument is that, nowadays, we’re attaching more and more devices to our routers — from computers to phones to streaming boxes to speakers to smart home gadgets — and it’s all getting really complicated and needs additional work... from somewhere or something... to run smoothly. But what is that something, and why does it require a subscription? Why can’t our routers optimize Wi-Fi on their own, as they always have?

There’s a degree of truth to Plume’s argument, but much of it feels theoretical at this point. Yes, security products are important. But I don’t understand what most of this “active management” actually entails beyond the basic functions of a router. It’s not like a Plume employee is going to be sitting around micromanaging my Wi-Fi channels.

Though Plume’s CEO, Fahri Diner, told me during a phone call two weeks ago that the company wouldn’t “brick” customers’ routers just because someone decides not to pay, a representative for Plume followed up after the initial publication of this article saying that wouldn’t be the case. Plume will, in fact, require a subscription to keep its routers functional. So if you stop paying, they’ll stop working.

Diner said Plume wants to provide so many additional services as part of its subscription that customers will happily remain subscribed. “Our intent, our hope, is to make the decision a no-brainer,” he said in a phone call. “If the customer doesn’t want to renew, it won't be because of the price. They will be unhappy for us for one reason or another.”

Plume isn’t the only company bringing the subscription model to routers, but it is doing it in a unique way. Eero, for instance, started offering a subscription service that added additional features to its routers — primarily additional security features — but its routers still run fine without it. Luma, which maybe doesn’t exist anymore, offered a subscription product, too, primarily focused on security.

But it’s not clear to me that it makes a ton of sense for consumers. If these features are available elsewhere and without a subscription, then why pick the router that makes you keep paying?

Update June 12th, 12:10PM ET: After publication, a Plume representative reached out to say that the company had changes its policies between my phone call with Diner and today. The company will, in fact, require a subscription for Plume Pods to stay functional.

[Stangkiller]

This is sort of how managed services work for corporations, isn’t Aruba or barracuda networks all subscription required?

[mrvette]

Commiecrap was charging me some bux/month to rent their router, I THINK it was like 20/month.....eff that, bought my own router Netgear...much better than theirs....200 bux about a year ago, went to streaming, finally gave it up except for the back bedroom set to sleep by.....LR set is on comcrap cable box...total bill is 82 bux/month.....

I fail to see just what paying some outfit for wifi would bring to this house....wife has her portables/and mainframe on wifi, I use a fixed wire on this machine.....her kids are dialed in, so just what is the point???



Oh, home security....I worked the field some years ago....95% of the effectiveness of those operations is in the SIGNS OUT FRONT OF THE HOUSE....the gear itself is cheap shit off any store shelf, just as effective.....

[snide]

Seems like more and more companies are offering their services as a service. I really don't like that model as I already have too many monthly payments. I'd rather just pay once and own the product.

[Millenium Vette]

It will fail.

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

It will fail.

before that actual outcome... will the company try to get the govt to subsidize it (claiming that mesh wi-fi is a "right")?

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by Stangkiller

This is sort of how managed services work for corporations, isn’t Aruba or barracuda networks all subscription required?

Plume originally sold the hardware to the end user, who plugged it into whatever ISP connection this end user was contracted to. It worked out of the box as a mesh wifi device; no monthly payment required. They also offered optional security tools & monitoring... which did have a monthly subscription fee. If you never opted for.. or stopped paying for the additional services... your Wi-fi hardware still operated, though without the additional services working in the background.
And since you purchased it outright, you could sell it if you decided to not use the hardware and-or services anymore.

But their new direction is where the hardware stops working completely if you don't pay for the monthly services; your internet ceases. Kinda irritating when Plume is not an ISP themselves. You stop paying them monthly... and it disrupts the internet service that you are paying someone else for. Obviously you can bypass the Plums cash-box altogether in that case.

Like someone else said "it will fail".

Under the new model... if you stop paying monthly, they "brick" your Plume hardware (you didn't purchase it outright anyways... but were renting it).

And then this stops you from selling it to someone else on eBay.

This has got to be another brainchild of a double-doctorate dude (30yo, not married or dating) that still lives with 'rents. On paper it looks flawless, and would get a passing grade and gold star certificate

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

Plume originally sold the hardware to the end user, who plugged it into whatever ISP connection this end user was contracted to. It worked out of the box as a mesh wifi device; no monthly payment required. They also offered optional security tools & monitoring... which did have a monthly subscription fee. If you never opted for.. or stopped paying for the additional services... your Wi-fi hardware still operated, though without the additional services working in the background.

But their new direction is where the hardware stops working completely if you don't pay for the monthly services; your internet ceases. Kinda irritating when Plume is not an ISP themselves. You stop paying them monthly... and it disrupts the internet service that you are paying someone else for. Obviously you can bypass the Plums cash-box altogether in that case.

Like someone else said "it will fail".

That’s exactly how Aruba progressed for their corporate level hardware.

https://www.insight.com/en_US/buy/pr...-access-point/

I’m a bit more technically inclined than many but I’m loving my ubiquity hardware, it’s definetly a bit more complicated to set up right (and keep current and secure)for an average user, which I could see where a msp style subscription could really benefit home users looking for something better than netgear or similar garbage.

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by Stangkiller

ubiquity hardware, it’s definetly a bit more complicated to set up right (and keep current and secure)for an average user, which I could see where a msp style subscription could really benefit home users looking for something better than netgear or similar garbage.

I have about 12 Ubiquiti devices on the air right now; used for (don't laugh) ham radio mesh networking.

[Mike Mercury]

at work, we took on a side line of selling internet to rural customers. It's sent to their place via RF... into equipment we either sell or rent to them. th eend user device terminates into an ethernet jack where they can plug their router in to.

The transmission at our end - to the individual & back - is sent via proprietary means; you can't connect to our stream without our hardware config.

The use Cambium hardware for this.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

I have about 12 Ubiquiti devices on the air right now; used for (don't laugh) ham radio mesh networking.

WTF if MESH networking??? wifi is wife 802.11 local to house, each router has a code, hooked to .net via come cable company.....

so just what is this ??? in some high rise office building with 50 billion computers?? make more sense to do hardwire in that instance......

[snide]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

I have about 12 Ubiquiti devices on the air right now; used for (don't laugh) ham radio mesh networking.

Oh.

[Will]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

It will fail.

Yeah no ****.

Why would I pay these clowns a monthly subscription fee for mesh wi-fi service when I can buy a system and be done???

Happy with my Orbi mesh system. I get the full speeds I pay the cable co. for everywhere in our house. And I don't give Orbi $$$ every month. I paid for the router and satellite and now I own it.

[Mike Mercury]

"mesh networking" is a broad term. In can equate to multiple wi-fi nodes in a building or large house - where one Wi-Fi node alone couldn't cover the entire area.

on a 3 story building, you could pay for 3 isp accounts (one per floor), and put routers (hot spots) on each floor for coverage.

Mesh would use only one ISP account - but cover the three floors with multiple nodes networked into that one ISP drop. The overall costs are reduced.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

"mesh networking" is a broad term. In can equate to multiple wi-fi nodes in a building or large house - where one Wi-Fi node alone couldn't cover the entire area.

on a 3 story building, you could pay for 3 isp accounts (one per floor), and put routers (hot spots) on each floor for coverage.

Mesh would use only one ISP account - but cover the three floors with multiple nodes networked into that one ISP drop. The overall costs are reduced.

OK, from watt I unnersand this MESH business is a more capable version of my little 802.11 in my house.....so did they change frequencies for the .com to take place?? or they do some krazy computer programming to make it all somehow get along at the same time?? or is there a huge change in the engineering of the routers .....I just trying to bend my mind around how all this shit werks....

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by snide

Oh.

thanks

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by mrvette

OK, from watt I unnersand this MESH business is a more capable version of my little 802.11 in my house.....so did they change frequencies for the .com to take place?? or they do some krazy computer programming to make it all somehow get along at the same time?? or is there a huge change in the engineering of the routers .....I just trying to bend my mind around how all this shit werks....

it's F M

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by mrvette

OK, from watt I unnersand this MESH business is a more capable version of my little 802.11 in my house.....so did they change frequencies for the .com to take place?? or they do some krazy computer programming to make it all somehow get along at the same time?? or is there a huge change in the engineering of the routers .....I just trying to bend my mind around how all this shit werks....

Mesh basically allows you to grow your WiFi network across multiple access points instead of just one AP, you as the user won’t know or care which access point you’re talking to.

Mesh specifically refers to a range extender, the additional access point talks to your main access point wirelessly and expands the WiFi coverage in the area.

[Millenium Vette]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

it's F M

No static at all

[Sea Six]

I or a loved one has been injured by a wire mesh.

How can I get paid?