One Wireless Standard to Rule Them all, ZigBee 3.0

The last time I checked Zigbee was up to ten standards, all based on different solutions or sector depending on the use of the product.  Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) was the last one I heard about.  with some standards and the possible that one manufactore might might manufacture for different makrets can mean a lot of work.  The ZigBee Alliance has seen this and has unified all its wireless standards under one standard called ZigBee 3.0.

The new ZigBee 3.0 standard said the Alliance, enables communication and interoperability among devices for home automation, connected lighting, energy efficiency and other markets so more diverse, fully interoperable solutions can be delivered by product developers and service providers.

ZigBee is already present in many mainstream connected home products, such as Google Nest, Philip's Hue, British Gas' Hive, some of Comcast set-top boxes and tens of millions of other devices around the globe.  ZigBee 3.0 defines the widest range of device types including home automation, lighting, energy management, smart appliance, security, sensors, and health care monitoring products.

ZigBee 3.0 uses ZigBee PRO networking, which is based on IEEE 802.15.4 (operates at 2.4 GHz) to enable reliable communication in the smallest, lowest-power devices. It is suitable to use for both easy-to-use DIY installations as well as professionally installed systems.

"The ZigBee Alliance is addressing the critical need for application level standardization," said Mareca Hatler, Director of Research with ON World. "This announcement will build on the Alliance's leadership across the Internet of Things, while continuing to provide the foundation for innovative products and services for smart homes, connected lighting, and other high growth markets."

The draft ZigBee 3.0 standard  is available to members of the ZigBee Alliance and is expected to be ratified in Q4 2015. ZigBee 3.0 demonstrations are planned for the CES 2015 in January 2015.